Someone To Watch Over Me
by WhisperingWolf
Summary: Over working herself between school and shard hunting Kagome has made herself sick. Matters are complicated when her uncle Shiro moves in with her family after divorcing his wife. Its up to Inuyasha to return Kagome to health and find out why she is afrai
1. Study Habits

~*~*Someone To Watch Over Me~*~*

~~~A.N.: You all may remember this story as being a bit different. I had it posted up a long time ago but never really liked it. After taking down I reworked it and it has changed quite a bit. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! ~ Wolfe~~

**~~Chapter 1~~**

**~~Study Habits~~**

The silver moon hung low in the night sky, and Kagome cursed softly as it dipped lower. It was late, very late, and the girl sitting on the cold ground was trying desperately, futilely to study by the light of the full moon and the dying embers of the once bright fire. She was beyond exhausted. The past week had been spent trapped in the same routine: wake up, eat what small bit of food she could stomach and be certain she would keep down, travel - and eventually end up fighting – with Inuyasha until sunset, stop and make camp for the night, refuse dinner without making it obvious she was doing so by giving most of her meal to the always hungry Shippou, study until just before dawn, sleep restlessly for maybe an hour if she was lucky, and then wake up again.

Golden eyes snapped open as the gentle soft wind blew the scents of those below up into the heights of the tree. A low growl spilled forth from the hanyou's throat, rumbling deep in his chest, irritation covering deep worry.

"Alright, this has to stop," he growled to himself.

Sighing heavily to relieve his frustration, or at least enough of it that he wouldn't bite the girl's head off, Inuyasha looked down upon the girl he loved.

"Kagome," Inuyasha called out to the girl softly, so as not to wake the others.

Too wrapped up in the text to hear his voice, Kagome didn't notice when he leapt out of the tree and landed silently in front of her. Reaching down, Inuyasha snatched the book from her hands. It took her a moment to realize her book was missing, and when she did her attention snapped up to the hanyou in front of her. Reaching out for her book, Kagome opened her mouth, a look of outrage on her face when he gave her a hard silencing stare and tossed the book aside, too far for her to reach.

"Inuyasha!" she hissed at him angrily.

"Quiet wench," he growled back, just as angrily.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome began to once again protest to the hanyou.

It might have worked, too, had she not yawned and reminded the dog eared boy standing in front of her of why he was so upset. Silencing the miko with a growl, he took her hand as she began to stand and pulled her to her feet. Taking the girl into his arms, he leapt high into the tree. Landing on a high, wide, strong branch, he released his hold on the girl. Removing his fire rat haori, he wrapped the garment, warmed from his body heat, around Kagome's shoulders and held it as she slipped her arms through the sleeves.

Sitting down with his back against the tree, one leg bent and propped up on the branch, the other hanging over the side; he tugged Kagome down into his arms, settling her against his chest. He was so warm, his arms so strong and comforting, his embrace so inviting that she wanted nothing more than to give into her desire to sleep. All she wanted to do was sit there in his arms and let his scent and presence surround her as she fell asleep, but she knew she couldn't…

Inuyasha could hear the unsteady beat of her heart, first fast, then slow, at times skipping a beat or two. It worried and upset him more than he was willing to admit that she had willingly done this to herself, but, more than that, that he had let her do this to herself. She was so exhausted; too exhausted to 'sit; him with any real force behind it. Whenever she'd spoken the magickal command this past week, he'd fallen to the ground as though he'd simply tripped over his own feet. He looked down on the girl in his arms, stroking her hair and shushing her when she began moving.

"Inuyasha, I've got to study," she said, only to have him snort in response and wrap her more securely in his arms when she moved.

"No," he said with irritation to cover up the worry he felt. "What you've got to do is get some sleep. Your scent is as thick as mud with exhaustion. Just go to sleep wench…I'll take care of you," he promised her in a softer tone.

Knowing that arguing with the hanyou could prove to be as useless as arguing with a rock, she gave into his demand and her desire. Curling herself up and snuggling deeper into his chest as she yawned, Kagome tucked her head beneath his chin. The corners of his lips curled up into a soft smile, his arms held her wrapped in a warm hug, holding her close as she drifted off to sleep in his embrace. Kissing her hair, he rested his cheek on her head.

Slowly releasing a deeply indrawn breath, Inuyasha's arms tightened around the girl wrapped in his clothing and sleeping in his arms. He was so afraid that one morning he would wake up only to find that all of this had been a dream. The fear of being alone, of being without his pack, but especially of being without Kagome frightened him and stung like a hundred knives in his heart.

"Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled sleepily, her eyes remaining closed, "you're thinking too loud."

The girl moved, shifted. One arm slipped free from being trapped between their bodies and slid around his waist, tucking into the space between the small of his back and the rough bark of the tree. The other hand lifted from her lap to tangle into the 'v' made by the folds of his white under kimono. With a silent sigh and a soft smile, Inuyasha curled his finger under the curve of her chin and tipped her face up. Smiling softly into sleep blurred blue eyes, he lowered his face and touched his lips to hers, kissing her. It was slow, sweet and soft, chaste and over far too soon for his liking, but she was tired, exhausted, and in the morning would probably think of their kiss as nothing more than a dream.

"Just go to sleep Kagome," he said to her softly. "I'll take care of you."

~*~*~*~*~*

*~*~*AN*~*~*

Alright ladies and gentlemen, let me take this opportunity to send out a special thanks to my new – my first ever – Beta: Ms. Kathy Red Pen. Let's give a round of applause please, for all her hard work. (1.24.09)


	2. Taking Away the Books

**Chapter 2**

**~*~*~Taking the books away~*~*~**

Kagome awoke slowly; the warmth surrounding her lending her a sense of peace even as the incessant pounding in her head drew a groan from her. The arms around her tightened, and a low soothing growl sounded from the sleeping hanyou holding her. Her stomach turned, and Kagome's face paled as she shook Inuyasha awake, begging to be taken down, telling him she was going to be sick.

Holding Kagome securely in his arms, Inuyasha leapt down to the ground below, well away from the rest of their pack and set the girl on her feet. Catching her as she fell to the ground, Inuyasha leaned her body against his leg as she stood on her hands and knees and dry heaved into the grass. Holding her hair in his hands, the hanyou could smell the tears she cried, her stomach already too empty to do more then clench painfully, spasmodically.

Turning his nose to the wind Inuyasha caught the spicy sweet scent of a nearby mineral hot spring. Lifting Kagome into his arms, he carried her to the spring's edge and set her on her feet, making certain she had her balance before releasing her. Removing his sword and hakama, he set them beside the spring, standing before Kagome in his knee length white under kimono. Turning to face the girl, he arched his brow and leveled Kagome with a hard look.

"Take it off," he commanded her as he folded his arms together inside the sleeves of his white under kimono.

"Inuyasha!" Her voice sounded outraged though there was a distinct lack of energy behind it.

He could see the anger warring with exhaustion in her eyes, the flush of fever on her cheeks and the dew like dampness on her forehead that was a testament to just how much effort it took her to simply stay standing. Her illness enraged him as it worried him.

"Don't argue with me wench," he warned her, "and don't even _think_ about using that damn spell on me either." Reaching out toward her with one hand, he flexed his claws at her, his knuckles popping in the process. "Now either you take it off, or I will."

Answering her look of irritation with one of his own and arching a brow as he dared her to defy him, he waited until she handed him the borrowed fire rat robe and then turned to set it with his hakama and Tetsuaiga. Kagome lifted her shirt raising it up just slightly past her shoulders when she gasped and moaned. _When had her body become so sore like this?_ She couldn't see with the shirt covering her face but whimpered thankfully when she felt Inuyasha's warm hands slide up her sides and arms as he guided the shirt off of her.

"Keh!" Dropping her shirt to the ground, he wrapped his arms around her when she leaned against his chest. "You're too tired for that," he said, his cheeks pinking when he caught the scent of her arousal that his touch on her skin had inspired.

She felt his hands at the small of her back as he undid the button and zipper of her skirt. The pleated material fell around her feet, and she stepped out of it. Groaning softly as she bent to take off her shoes and socks, she closed her eyes and had to truly focus on the task in order to complete it. Kagome could not remember a time that she had ever felt so tired, so weak, or so damn sore.

Anger fueled by worry, Inuyasha watched, upset by how much effort it took her to simply remove her shoes. Eyes darkening at the visibility of her ribs and hips, he silently traced the curve of her spine with the pads of his fingers as she lent against his side. Once she was barefoot and clad only in her undergarments, the hanyou lifted her into his arms and cradled her to his chest. Watching as her eyes fell closed almost as soon as her head touched his shoulder, he carried her down into the soothing hot mineral water of the spring.

_How did she get this bad?_ Inuyasha thought as he released her legs and held her against his chest in the shoulder deep water.

_How did _you_ let her get this bad?_ his youkai asked him accusingly.

_I don't know,_ Inuyasha answered as he leaned Kagome back enough in the water to wet her hair.

_Well whatever it takes _fix it! his youkai demanded.

_Keh! You think I won't?!_ the hanyou growled and nodded when his youkai blood remained silent.

"Inuyasha," Kagome's voice reached out softly to the hanyou and he held her close to hear her half whispered words, "will you sing to me?" she asked her eyes still closed.

"Wench," he growled at her, "what makes you think I sing?" he asked gruffly, his cheeks pinking.

"In – asha." His name was broken by a deep yawn, her eyes barely open as she looked at him tiredly. "I know it was you who sang to me a few weeks ago when I had that nightmare. You thought I was asleep."

"You heard that?" his cheeks became crimson as his ears flicked in embarrassment.

Kagome nodded, her cheek against the smooth skin of his chest, his kimono having fallen open.

"So will you?" she asked tilting her head to look up at him. "Sing to me?"

_Damn,_ his youkai voice spoke. _Does she have any clue how she affects us?_

_None,_ Inuyasha replied.

He wanted to kiss her so badly but knew that he could never stop with just one. Perhaps one day he could be with her like that, but today just wasn't that day. For now he had to content himself with having her at his side and protecting her, loving her in every way but the physical act itself.

_Someday, Kagome,_ he promised her silently. _Someday I will make you my mate._

Touching his lips to her forehead, he was pleased to find that her fever had dissipated. Resting his cheek against her brow, he sang to her, his voice soft and unsteady at first before smoothing out into a rich tenor. At first the song was nothing more than a collection of notes, but as the moments passed he sang to her a gentle lullaby that his mother had once sung to him.

He felt peace infuse her aura as she cuddled against him, her eyes falling closed once more as his voice, the warmth of the water, and the feel of all that was Inuyasha soothed her into a deep and dreamless sleep.

It was nearly two hours later when Inuyasha was roused from the light sleep he'd fallen into by the feel of a familiar youki approaching. Sniffing the air, he relaxed when he discovered it to be Shippou.

"Shippou," he said, softly calling the kitsune out of hiding.

The youkai child bounded forward, his eyes fixed on Kagome. It scared him to see her lying so still against Inuyasha, the two deep in the water of the hot spring. He'd always brushed it off as nothing when Kagome would share her food with him, but now he wasn't so sure.

"What's wrong with Kagome?" Shippou asked softly as he crouched in the grass near Inuyasha.

"It ain't nothing I can't take care of," the hanyou replied arrogantly, keeping his voice low so as not to wake the girl in question. "Go ask Sango for one of her kimonos."

Shippou nodded and raced off toward the campsite. Groaning against the waking world that beckoned her, Kagome tucked her face into the side of Inuyasha's neck and hid her eyes, wrapping herself more securely around him.

"Here ya go," Shippou said a few moments later.

"Just set it next to my clothes," the hanyou said as he carefully lifted Kagome into his arms. "Tell Miroku and Sango not to rush. We're staying here today."

The kitsune youkai did a double take. Had Inuyasha really just said that? Was he really going to let them take the day off?

"Inuyasha are you feeling alright?" Shippou asked with a 'who-are-you-and-what-have-you-done-with-Inuyasha' look on his face.

"Keh, I'm fine, Shippou," he said without looking at the child. "Go tell the others what I said."

Deciding to go before the hanyou could change his mind or call it a joke, Shippou sped off happily for the campsite. Returning his attention to the girl in his arms, Inuyasha tightened his hold and sprang from the water, landing neatly in the plush grass. Looking down at the girl in his arms, he wasn't sure which bothered him more: her decidedly unhealthy loss in weight, or the fact that she still hadn't woken.

Long moments later he had them both dried and dressed and was carrying Kagome back to the camp, her wet hair plastered to his fire rat robe.

"Get the fire going again," he instructed Miroku as he kicked the school books off of Kagome's sleeping bag.

Laying Kagome down and tucking her into the stuffed blanket bed, Inuyasha looked at her textbooks and growled low. Moving to her monstrous yellow backpack, he carried it to a clear area and up ended it, dumping its contents into the grass. Setting her schoolbooks aside and gathering up the ones he'd kicked off of her sleeping bag, he packed them into the yellow bag.

Turning his attention to Sango he found the taijiya studying him silently. Rising to his feet and moving slowly away, he waited for her to follow him. Moving far enough away to be out of hearing range of the others, but still in sight of the camp, he folded his arms together inside the sleeves of his fire rat robes.

"Inuyasha," Sango asked when he failed to speak.

Looking back over the distance at Kagome's sleeping form, he turned his attention to Sango.

"She isn't well," he said finally. "I've got some things I need to take care of. Hunt down a few rabbits and make sure she eats the livers. Don't let her give her food to Shippou either. I don't know when I'll be back, but I'll bring meat when I come."

Sango nodded and studied the hanyou, his attention once again focused on the sleeping miko. Taking in a deep breath the woman spoke. "She was sick a few days ago," the taijiya confessed. "I found her throwing up after we stopped to have lunch."

"I know," he said, surprising her. "You all forget that I can smell things like that. I was waiting for her to tell me and ask for us to stop for awhile, but she never did." He was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. "If there's trouble while I'm gone don't let her use her arrows; she ain't strong enough for that."

"If you don't mind my asking," Sango said, "where are you going?"

Inuyasha studied the woman before him silently for a moment.

"I'm taking those damn school books back to her world."

Sango nodded having already figured as much. There was no doubt in her mind that Kagome would be mad when she found out what Inuyasha was about to do, but there was also no doubt in her mind that Inuyasha was doing the best thing for the sleeping girl. Inuyasha walked with Sango back to the campsite and snatched up the yellow backpack. Standing beside Miroku, Sango watched as the hanyou disappeared in a flash of red and silver through the trees.

~*~*~*


	3. Shiro

**Chapter 3**

**~*~*~Shiro~*~*~**

Mamma Higurashi looked up from the bags of groceries she'd been putting away to see Inuyasha enter the kitchen, Kagome's backpack hanging from his left hand. Dropping the bag to the floor with a heavy thud, he growled and pointed at it.

"This is making her sick," he said without any kind of greeting.

"Kagome's sick?" the woman asked as she pulled out two cups of Ramen from one of the bags and set water on the stove to boil.

"Ain't that what I just said?" he fairly growled.

"What is in the bag?" she asked, though she already had a fairly good idea.

"Her school books," he said, sitting at the kitchen table with the woman.

"What would you have me do, Inuyasha?" she asked reasonably.

"Keh! I don't know!" he snapped, and then sighed, his puppy ears folding back against his head as he looked down into the cup of juice she's set before him. "I don't know," he said sadly, his voice soft.

"Why don't you tell me why it is you think the school books are making Kagome sick?" she asked, standing up to silence the whistling tea pot.

Pouring the hot water into the cups of Ramen, she set both before the hanyou along with a pair of chopsticks. Poking at the slowly softening noodles with a claw, he began to tell her about the late nights of watching over Kagome as she studied by the slowing dying fires. He told her about the weight of the bag, the strain it put on her to divide herself between sleepless nights of studying and the energy it took her to fire her arrows in battle. Both knew Kagome would never complain about either; it just wasn't her way.

"…add on to that all the food she keeps giving to Shippou. Stupid girl ain't eating right, and it made her so sick that now just the _thought_ of food makes her sick."

Mamma Higurashi looked at the hanyou before her quietly for a moment before speaking. "Inuyasha, have you slept with Kagome?" she asked slowly, calmly.

Embarrassed and taken aback by her question, his answer came out in a growl. "Ain't you been listening? She ain't strong enough for that. And she's not pregnant either," he said defensively.

"I didn't mean to upset you," she offered as she stood and refilled his juice cup, watching as he consumed the instant noodles. "If the choice were up to you, Inuyasha," she said, setting the cup before him, "what would you have done about her school?"

"I don't…I don't know," he said slowly as he thought it over. "I want her taken out so that she stops worrying so much about these damn tests of hers and getting sick all the time, but she'd 'sit' me into my own grave if I did that…I don't want her to be making herself sick all the time, trying to study."

"What about the youkai you all hunt?" she asked reasonably.

"You know that can't be helped. And even if we both wanted her to stop fighting them you know she wouldn't," he pointed out. "Tell me something," he said looking at the woman, studying her. "In the past two months Kagome's refused to stay on this side of the well unless I'm with her, and never at night. Mind telling me why she seems so afraid of her own house?"

The woman looked down into her mug of now cold sencha tea for a moment before meeting Inuyasha's gaze.

"My brother, Shiro, and her have never quite gotten along," she began slowly. "Four months ago he moved in with us after he and his wife separated. Kagome won't tell me why, but she's always been afraid of him. I guess she never got over that fear."

His brows furrowed. "Then why let him stay here if he's a threat to your pack?" he fairly growled at her.

"He has nowhere else to go," she said, studying the irritation on Inuyasha's face. "Besides that, Kagome is the only one who's ever had a problem with him…Well, that's not entirely true," she confessed as an after thought. "Benjiro never liked him either, but that doesn't really matter anymore."

"Who the hell is Benjiro?" the hanyou asked, still irritated about this Shiro person.

"Benjiro was Kagome and Souta's father," she said softly.

"What happened to him? Kagome never talks about him." His curiosity peaked, Inuyasha stared at her intensely, his puppy ears standing tall and bent slightly forward to catch every word.

"He died of a heart attack when Kagome was six. Strange thing was Kagome always blamed Shiro. He moved away from us shortly after Benjiro's funeral. I thought she'd gotten over it until ten weeks ago when she came home and saw him. I've never seen her so angry before, and then when he touched her –"

"He _touched_ her?!" the hanyou snarled, one hand on Tetsuaiga.

"He put his hand on her shoulder," she said, her expression telling him to calm down. "When he touched her it was as though she'd been burned. Kagome turned and ran to the well house. I didn't see her again until two weeks later, when she came with you."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed as he grew silent, his constant quiet growling stopping.

"I remember that day," he said slowly, his voice soft, a far away look in his eyes. "She hadn't been gone five minutes when she came back through the well. Kagome was shaking so badly that she couldn't climb out of the well on her own; I had to get her. She wouldn't let go of me at all. I've never seen her so afraid or upset, not even during battle."

His eyes refocused on the woman sitting before him, a low dangerous growl spilling forth. His lip curled up in a snarl revealing a sharp white fang as he rose slowly from the table. It was the first time Mamma Higurashi had ever seen Inuyasha as anything other than the loveable dog-eared boy that followed her daughter and had become part of her family. It occurred to her then as she watched him sniff the air, his growling constant and dark, that the hanyou was trying to distinguish Shiro's scent. Inuyasha intended to hunt down her brother!

Standing quickly, she grabbed his arm, gasping in surprise when he looked at her. She could never remember seeing such a deadly look in his eyes before. He looked at her, his golden eyes suspiciously bright. He wanted to snarl and bark at her, didn't he? He perceived her brother to be a threat to Kagome and did what came naturally – he was trying to protect the girl. It didn't matter that Shiro wasn't home; the woman knew that if she didn't stop Inuyasha now, before he caught the man's scent, she'd never be able to stop him once he had it.

"Inuyasha, no!" Mamma Higurashi held fast to the fire rat fur he was dressed in as he tried to dislodge her hold on him. "You can't hurt him!"

The growl that spilled forth from the hanyou was a vicious primal thing. This man, this _human,_ had scared Kagome in such a way that not even Naraku ever had, and real or imagined the threat was there. He looked at the woman in front of him, not being able to clearly understand what she was saying to him for the sound of his own blood rushing madly in his ears. His youkai was demanding that this threat to Kagome be eliminated, but he also knew that the woman was right. He couldn't hunt down a human in this world like he could in his own world across the well, but he needed to hunt _something,_ and he had promised Sango that he'd bring meat with him when he returned.

"Have it your way," he said to the woman, his irritation more than evident. "But she ain't gonna be here without me!"

Turning on his heel he bounded off for the well house with only one girl, who was more precious than anything else to him on his mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Have a good hunt?" Sango greeted Inuyasha dryly as he returned to the camp with an animal over his shoulder, the sun disappearing below the horizon behind him.

The hanyou muttered a terse 'keh!' and dropped the huge buck he'd been carrying to the ground. Turning the slowly stiffening carcass on to its back, he sliced it from neck to abdomen with his claw, removing its liver with deft precision.

"She eaten anything?" he asked as he tossed the liver onto the thin flat stone that lay just inside the fire.

"She hasn't woken once since you left," Miroku said, the rings on his staff jingling as he moved it to lay on the ground before rising to assist the hanyou in butchering his kill. "Her sleep has not been peaceful," the monk said long moments later, eyeing the hanyou thoughtfully as Sango took the cut pieces and put them over the fire to roast. "Lady Kagome has called out for you many times in her sleep…She sounded scared."

Grumbling to himself about stupid wenches, the hanyou speared the cooking liver with his claw and flipped the meat over. Rising from his crouch near the fire, Inuyasha stalked over to Kagome's sleeping form and lifted her, sleeping bag and all, into his arms. Returning to his spot near the fire he sat down, his legs folded together and the sleeping miko in his lap.

Kagome sighed in her sleep and snuggled against him. He could feel the peace that settled over her, the way her aura curled and wrapped around his youki. It was entirely unsettling to the hanyou just how right it felt to hold this girl – this miko – in his arms. The way the warmth of her soul calmed his youkai, the way just looking into her mahogany eyes could leave him speechless, powerless – it was as it was supposed to be, wasn't it?

Looking down when Kagome whimpered in his arms, he watched as drowsy earth-brown eyes opened slowly. The world around them seemed to melt away, and he even lost sight of the little kitsune youkai that was making shapes in the air by mixing his blue flame fox fire with the red-orange flames of the campfire. Her eyes only saw him, her voice a bare breathy whisper as she spoke his name, called to him. It took every ounce of willpower, every bit of control on his part not to simply drop his head and kiss the soft full lips that beckoned to him silently.

"You hungry wench?" he asked her, letting his irritation cover up his desire.

Scrunching up her nose because the very thought of food was enough to unsettle her stomach, she looked into his bright amber eyes lit up by the fire. She'd try for him, wouldn't she? Just a little bit couldn't hurt, and if she ate it slowly she might be able to keep it down this time. In the end, she gave him a smile and nodded gently.

Sango sat next to Miroku; Shippou having fallen asleep moments before, curled up with Kirara on the ground next to the taijya. It was quiet, aside from nature's music made by the crackling flames, the gentle breeze through the trees, and the sounds made by all the creatures of the night. Taijya and monk sat watching quietly as Inuyasha fed small bites of the cooked liver to Kagome, slowly intermingled with drinks from a half full water bottle at the hanyou's side.

"What do you make of that, Sango?" Miroku asked as he watched Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Too soon to tell," she replied easily, backhanding him when he stroked her bottom. "Watch the hands, houshi-sama," she warned.

"Of course, Lady Sango," he replied, her red handprint on his face along with a silly little grin.

"They're watching us," Inuyasha said softly to Kagome.

The girl in his arms smiled tiredly at him. One hand unfurled from the sleeping bag she was wrapped in to lift up and play with the white puppy ear on top of his head that was twitching in irritation. Yawning deeply she curled up against his chest and closed her eyes. Within moments she was asleep.

_Sleep well, Kagome_, Inuyasha thought as he stood slowly, being sure to hold Kagome securely as he leapt up to perch in the tree high above the ground. Settling back against the trunk, high on a large branch, Inuyasha held the girl wrapped in his arms. Burying his nose in her hair, he breathed in deeply and closed his eyes, letting sleep claim him as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	4. Questions

**Chapter 4**

**~*~*~*~Questions~*~*~*~**

Long fingered, sharply clawed hands were wrapped around slender thighs covered by the soft cotton of the simply colored kimono the girl wore. The dog eared boy pulled the girl on his back closer, her face tucked into the side of his neck; her midnight strands intermingled with his silver locks. Kagome sighed in her sleep. One arm hung loosely over his shoulder and down across his chest, the other was curled around the shoulder her head lay upon. Her grip tightened, her hand sliding in between the folds of his haori and under kimono to rest against the smooth warm skin of his chest bringing a dark red blush to his cheeks.

She was asleep again. Inuyasha sighed muttering a soft 'keh' under his breath as he walked beside the others, Kagome on his back. Chaffing the outside of her knees with the pads of his thumbs, he reassured himself that she was there with him; her warmth and scent so much a part of him that it was almost hard to remember his life before she'd been in it. When he thought back on this morning and how he'd almost lost her…

_Inuyasha couldn't remember ever having slept as good as that night, his senses full of and wrapped up in Kagome's scent and aura; her warmth and presence surrounding and engulfing him. Golden eyes shining with warmth looked down upon the girl wrapped in the folds of her sleeping bag held securely in his arms. He watched as she yawned as she slowly woke, one clawed hand combing slowly through her raven hair. Lifting her arms up and out of the sleeping bag, she gave a full body stretch, the movement shocking them both when it rolled her off his lap and out of the tree._

_Kagome's shriek woke the others, the sound of her heart pounding madly in her ears as she watched the sleeping bag fall to the ground far below them even as she remained suspended in the air by the back of the borrowed kimono she was dressed in. She was pulled swiftly back into the hanyou's arms, his hold a vice grip on her as he crushed her to his chest, the girl clinging desperately to him He could smell her fear, her tears; could feel and hear her heart beating in her chest, against his own in the same frantic staccato rhythm. Kagome buried her face in his chest as he called down to the others below that he had her, that she was all right._

Inuyasha shook his head, clearing away the memory of that morning and dislodging his hair from underneath her head and arm in the process. The hanyou snorted when he looked out of the corner of his eye at her only to find that his silver hair was covering her like a blanket. He was still worried about her. As it was, the near fall this morning had only shocked her awake just long enough for him to get the leftover smoked liver and a bit of water into her before she'd fallen asleep again.

His attention refocused on the group in front of him when he noticed that they'd stopped moving. Watching Miroku look around at the trees to their left, he sniffed the air and reached out with youki. He didn't smell or feel any danger coming their way, so what were they stopping for?

"What the hell are we stopping for, monk?" Inuyasha demanded as he stepped up to the holy man.

"The village that should be here, Inuyasha, isn't," Miroku said as he turned and looked ahead of them for any sign that a village may lie ahead of them.

"So?" the hanyou asked, irritated.

"So, Inuyasha," Miroku sighed, "we're either heading in the wrong direction, or…"

"Or?" the hanyou growled.

"Or there's a barrier," Sango said as she stepped toward the trees.

The taijya was dressed in her slayer uniform, her Hiraikotsu strapped across her back, Kagome dressed in her kimono. Stepping closer to the trees, the woman lifted her hand only to be stopped by Inuyasha's snarling.

"We don't have time for this shit." His golden eyes were flashing brightly in anger. "The scent of rain is thicker in the air than it was this morning. I ain't having Kagome getting caught in the storm!" The hanyou growled and grumbled as he stepped up to the forest that everyone, including Shippou and Kirara, were studying. "What's so special about this damn village anyway?" he asked, irritated.

"It is the only village where youkai, human and hanyou are rumored to live in harmony with one another," Miroku replied absently as he searched to find a barrier.

"Keh, like that would ever happen," the hanyou scoffed.

"I thought I sensed a hanyou out here," a man said as he stepped through the trees behind them. "I am Akira, headman and priest of this village," he introduced himself as the village materialized behind them.

"Akira-san, I am Miroku," the monk began to introduce himself and the others only to stop when the man raised his hand next to his face, his palm out toward them.

"I know very well who you all are," Akira said. "You all are legends. Please, follow me."

Turning, he led them deeper into the village, the road they'd been walking on disappearing as the same intense barrier that kept the village from being seen by outsiders also kept the world outside the village from being seen by the villagers. A sense of peace and harmony flowed through the village like flower blossoms on the spring wind, yet there was also a sense caution that had Inuyasha's ear twitching with unease. He'd felt that same sense of caution and mistrust himself, before, hadn't he? Looking around he found the village to be larger than the number of people he saw would account for. It made a strange kind of sense, though he was uncertain as to why.

"Hey why couldn't we see this place before?" Shippou asked as he wandered on the ground next to the transformed Kirara.

Akira stopped walking, a great sadness falling over him that they could all feel.

"Nearly a year ago now, a miko came upon our village…We lost many people to her that day." His voice was sad. "We strengthened our barrier after she left."

Hearing a gasp behind him, the man turned and found Kagome to be looking up at him. He saw the tears in her eyes still heavily clouded by exhaustion and walked to Inuyasha being sure to keep a respectable distance from the girl.

"Do not cry for us, little miko," he said to her gently. "Those we lost fought bravely that day." He took the hand that she held out to him.

"I'm so sorry. Why would anyone do that?" Kagome asked, her exhaustion lending her very little control over her emotions as it also served to heighten their intensity.

"I don't know, little miko, but she looked much like you," he said to her, watching as her eyes drooped, and she lay her cheek down upon Inuyasha's shoulder. "Come, hanyou, I will show you where you and your mate may rest."

_She looked like me_, Kagome thought as she wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's shoulders, seeking comfort as much as she was offering it to him. _Kikyou is the only miko that looks like me, but why would she do something like that? Why destroy a village where peace has been found between humans, youkai and hanyou? _Looking out to her left, she saw a group of children playing together. This was the only place where one would find such a group of mixed children playing together so naturally, so happily.

_How many of those children lost their parents? Their families? Had Kikyou purified any of the children, or did she only go after the adults? How many families had she destroyed?_

"Hey," Inuyasha's voice was soft, worried, the slight bounce he gave her jostling her from her thoughts. "Why are you crying?...Kagome?" he prodded when she didn't answer.

"I don't – I don't understand, Inuyasha," the girl said softly, her voice catching on her soundless tears. "Why would someone try to destroy this place? What could they possibly think to gain? What reason could they have?"

They both knew just who the unnamed 'someone' that she spoke of was. Inuyasha knew that Kagome could never understand, she hadn't grown up in this time. She wasn't taught like Kikyou was that there was no such thing as a good or kind youkai. And if a miko trained as Kikyou was to cross paths with a child youkai or a hanyou? That answer was simple; their training told them to purify them before they became a threat. He didn't know if he could ever tell her, ever make the girl on his back understand – but if Kikyou had found Shippou before he and Kagome had – there was no question that the pup wouldn't be alive today. The only reason Kikyou wouldn't harm any of them now was because Shippou was under Kagome's protection and thus under his own.

"It's not about having a reason, Kagome," he said, turning his head to look at her. "It's about doing it because you can."

"But, Inuyasha, you heard what he said," she said, desperately trying to understand how he could be so calm, so unaffected by this. "We both know who he was talking about!" she cried out, hurting for him and the thought of what this discovery must be doing to him.

"Kagome-san?" a female voice near them called out to the miko.

Inuyasha turned to look at the approaching youkai. His eyes narrowed as he studied her; she was a bird of some sort, his eyes relaxed - a sparrow hawk. Long thick hair hung down her back to just below her hips, a strange shade of iridescent blue so light in color and shimmering that it reminded the hanyou of moonlight reflecting off a lake. She stood slightly taller than Sango, her build – as thin and willowy as any youkai – belying her strength and power. Her rose leaf green eyes were as sharp to detail as they were warm and welcoming. Stopping just a slight distance from Inuyasha, she studied the girl on his back.

"You are unwell," she stated as she looked at Kagome, her voice holding a whispered note of worry.

"I'm all right," Kagome reassured the youkai woman, her tired mind unable to find a clear memory of her, though she knew that she knew the youkai in front of her. "I – I'm sorry," Kagome apologized weakly, a soft blush coloring her too pale face.

A soft smile tilted the youkai's lips. She smiled at Kagome much like she did with her own daughter. She wondered if this girl – this miko – understood just what she meant to all the youkai and hanyou here. Oh yes, Kagome's traveling companion's were legendary, as was she, but the difference was that Kagome, as a miko, should be the first one to defend humans against a youkai, not the other way around. Countless youkai and hanyou had come to this place, found this safe haven with much the same story. While they were out traveling, searching for a safe place to be, they were attacked by humans, only to be saved or defended by a strangely dressed miko. A miko saving youkai and hanyou, who ever would've thought it could happen?

"It's all right," she smiled at Kagome. "We'll have a chance to talk once you have rested and been fed. I am Keiko, and I look forward to talking with you, Kagome-san."

Blushing at the formal way she was being addressed, Kagome smiled and nodded gently. She could feel herself growing more tired by the second, the darkness on the edges of her vision beckoning her like an old friend. She felt the gentle vibrations through Inuyasha's back as he growled soothingly, silently; breaking the last of her resolve and sending her to sleep, her face tucked into the side of his neck, hidden by his hair.

"Are you ready to continue?" Akira asked with a soft chuckle. "You'll have time to talk with her later," he said as he watched Inuyasha's gaze follow Keiko as she moved away. "You will find that your mate is precious to many of us here. Come, Inuyasha," Akira motioned the hanyou to follow him. "I will show you to your room."

"Feh," was Inuyasha's only remark as he followed the human.

This place seemed odd – welcoming, but odd. It wasn't every day that you stumbled across a village where youkai and humans lived in harmony. Even less common was it to find a place where hanyou were respected and loved as they were here. Inuyasha sighed, more an exhalation of breath than anything else. It was the second time that Akira had referred to Kagome as his mate, yet neither of those times had the hanyou felt the need or desire to correct the man.

Looking up as they approached a rather large and well-made house, Inuyasha was surprised when Akira led him inside. Nodding his thanks to the man when he was led into a large room, Inuyasha grunted in reply when he was told that food and drink would be brought in shortly for them. Noticing that there was only one futon in the room, Inuyasha huffed a soft 'feh' and felt the girl on his back sigh and cuddle closer.

"Would you like for fresh clothing to be brought for your mate?" Akira asked as he stood in the doorway.

Inuyasha turned and looked at the man, his brow furrowed in thought. He knew that Kagome would appreciate the new clothing, but he wasn't sure that he wanted someone else's scent on her. Sango's scent was fine; she was pack, but someone else?

_Keh, she'd appreciate a hot spring more,_ his youkai scoffed. _Besides, she can just were our haori; she don't need someone else's clothing. _

"Inuyasha?" Akira asked when the hanyou failed to answer.

Shaking himself from his thoughts Inuyasha shook his head, telling the man he'd rather leave that for Kagome to decide. Smiling because he knew how most youkai in the village reacted to a new scent on their mate, Akira nodded. Telling Inuyasha about the covered fire pit in the floor, he turned and left, closing the door behind him. Relaxing a bit, Inuyasha walked over to the other side of the room where the futon lay on the floor against the wall.

Kneeling down onto the edge of the futon, he was surprised by just how plush and soft it was. Sniffing at it the hanyou shook his head. Who'd ever heard of making a futon out of feathers before? Carefully easing Kagome off his back and around his waist, he laid her down on the soft bed and nuzzled her cheek.

She was too pale, too thin, the smudges beneath her eyes that bespoke her exhaustion too dark. Covering her with the silk lined fur blanket that had been folded at the end of the futon, he sighed and smoothed her bangs off her forehead. Lifting her right hand and holding it in between both of his, he silently begged her to hold on, to get better, to regain her strength. Laying her hand on her stomach, he stood and moved to the door as it opened and accepted the tray of food from the young rabbit hanyou. Giving a curt nod of thanks, he slid the shoji door closed with his foot and returned to Kagome's side.

Setting the tray down by his side, the hanyou reached out and gently shook her shoulder.

"Wake up, wench," he called to her, his voice demanding yet gentle.

Kagome woke slowly a sigh escaping her parted lips as her eyes fluttered open. She blinked at him lazily, her eyes dark and clouded with sleep. He helped her to sit up, snorting when she leaned into him and tucked her head under his chin.

"Forget it, wench," Inuyasha said as he made her sit up on her own, the girl slumping forward a bit. "You're not going back to sleep until you've been fed."

Kagome groaned but sat up. Hiding a yawn behind her hand, she brought her knees up to her chest as Inuyasha turned to retrieve a bowl of rice from the tray. Turning back to her he growled in frustration when he found her to be asleep once again, her arms hugging her bent legs to her chest, her cheek resting on her raised knees.

"Wench!" he barked at her as he set the rice bowl back on the tray as he stood.

Tired brown eyes blinked slowly at him. Unwrapping her arms from around her legs, he grasped her hands and pulled her to her feet. She whimpered, stumbling after him as he walked backwards refusing to release her hands. He guided her on a slow small circle near the futon, trying to wake her up a bit. He knew if he fed her when she was like this she would most likely choke on her food.

"I'm tired," she complained, tugging weakly to release her hands.

"Keh, you're also in need of food, wench," he informed her as he held fast to her wrists. "C'mon, wench, you need to wake up a bit more before I feed you."

Tired eyes narrowed in a mutinous glare. All Kagome wanted to do was curl up on that futon, pull the fur blanket over her head and sleep for a bout a week…maybe two. But _he_ wouldn't let her. Her gaze flicked down to the beads of subjugation he wore, her mind too muddled with exhaustion to tell her that it would be a bad idea with his proximity to her, not to mention that he was still holding her hands. The hanyou was faster.

Kagome looked at him angrily, stomping her foot once in protest when he swiftly covered her opening mouth with his hand.

"You ain't sittin' me either, wench!" he snarled at her, more angry that she would be stupid enough to put herself in danger like that than he was at the threat of the spell itself. "You gonna sit me?" he asked her roughly, arching a brow at her. "Yeah, well, you'd better not," he growled as he removed his hand slowly.

Kagome looked as though she were about to say something to him when instead she sucked in a sharp breath and grimacing, bent over slightly, hugging her arms around her stomach as she whimpered in pain. Inuyasha gave a low whine at her distress, his ear twitching and a soft blush rising to color his cheeks as he moved to stand behind her.

Snaking his arms around her waist he slipped his hands under her tightly clenched arms and straightened her up as he began to massage her abdomen with a slow steady pressure that was both firm and gentle.

"It's cause you haven't been eating right," he told her as she let her arms fall loosely over his with a breathy moan. "Your body's got to get used to food again."

Kagome leaned back against him with a contented sigh; an almost purr sounding from deep in her throat as he tended to her. Letting her head fall back against his shoulder, she turned her face into his neck and closed her eyes. Inuyasha blushed once more, darker this time when he breathed in her darkening, changing scent. A self-satisfied grin lifted his lips. She wanted him. Not only that, but she wanted him now, as he was, as a hanyou. Not as a human, nor did she desire him to be full youkai. She wanted _him_.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes as the girl in his arms grew heavy against him. She was falling asleep against him, if she wasn't asleep already. Bending his head down, he nipped her shoulder and smirked at her soft yelp born more out of surprise than anything else; all the while he kept up his soft ministrations. A soft almost growl sounded from him as he nuzzled the spot he'd nipped, her scent spiking when he lazily ran his fangs along her exposed skin.

A gasp, a whimper, broke free from her as she pushed her belly into his hands and lifted one hand to his face. Her nails scraped against his jaw as she lifted his face to hers and kissed him. Pure fire, that's what his kiss was like. Nothing she had ever imagined, ever dreamed could've prepared her for that moment. Every nerve ending was suddenly alive and on fire. The stomach cramps of before were forgotten as a new pain, a sweet kind of ache, twisted inside of her just below her navel.

He tormented her, scraping his fangs along the fullness of her bottom lip before sucking the flesh into his mouth and soothing it with his tongue. It took every last bit of control he had to end the kiss, to step away from her.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whimpered his name, confusion and hurt in her eyes when she turned to look at him.

"I want to," he panted, holding her face in his hands as he touched his forehead to hers, his eyes a molten amber blazing fire. "Kami, I want to, but not until you're well again."

Kagome closed her eyes and stepped toward him, the hanyou wrapping his arms around her as he held her to him, hugging her close.

"You still need to eat, wench," he reminded her.

She giggled as he led her back to the futon and sat with her. They ate together, heated looks passing between them. It was a torturous hour later that the rabbit hanyou returned to their room to pick up the tray and take Kagome down to the indoor bathing chamber.

It was a long time before Kagome returned, the girl having dozed in the soothing hot water of the bath. Sango had found her friend sleeping in the bath when she had come to take one and had woken the girl, helping her to dress before escorting her back to her room. Shaking her head in amusement at herself, Kagome opened the door to the room she was sharing with Inuyasha and stepped inside. Her wet hair clung to her back; loose strands hanging in curls framed her face. Closing the door softly, the girl turned around and smiled.

On the futon across the room lay Inuyasha. He was stretched out on his side Tetsuaiga hugged to his chest. His eyes were closed; his face was relaxed and peaceful in sleep – almost boyish. Kneeling down on the edge of the futon that had been made large enough to fit at least two people, she stretched out her arm and ran her fingers through his bangs.

Gasping in surprise when she found his golden eyes to be watching her, she smiled and took his proffered hand, letting him guide her to lie down beside him. Moving his sword to lay between himself and the wall, Inuyasha grasped the fur blanket and brought it up over them both, tucking it around Kagome's chest, under her arms.

"Kagome," the hanyou spoke her name softly after a long moment when she was almost asleep. "Who is Shiro?"

Kagome stiffened in his arms, and he could feel her trembling against him. Taking her by the shoulder, he turned her to lie on her back as he rose up, propping himself up on his elbow so that he could look down into her eyes.

"Who is he, Kagome?" the hanyou asked again, his voice demanding as her escalating anxiety attacked his senses and enraged his youkai.

"He killed Daddy," her voice was quiet, childlike and unsteady. "He killed Daddy," she said again turning, onto her side and burying her face in his chest as she hid in the welcomed safety his arms provided. "He killed Daddy," she said, and he could smell the salt of her tears, her voice muffled by his clothes. "And I think he tried kill me, too."

The hanyou growled at that and tightened his hold on her. He wanted to ask her more, but she'd already fallen asleep in his arms. Kissing her hair, he promised her that he would protect her always.

"Always, Kagome," he promised her as he closed his eyes and buried his face in her damp hair.

_Always,_ his youkai agreed as Inuyasha fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


	5. Memories, Nightmares

**Chapter 5**

**~*~*~Memories, Nightmares~*~*~**

***Lime warning, there is no clean version***

_It was dark: an inky blackness that seemed to blanket the world and hide everything in frightening angry shadows. There was no moon tonight; even the stars seemed to be hidden from view. There was no wind, nothing to stir the dead leaves on the ground, wet from the rains the day before. Across the shrine grounds light spilled into the night from the sliding doors of the storehouse that stood open only a bare inch or two. There were voices inside, muted so as not to disturb those sleeping in the house: one angry, one protective. _

_Across the grounds a door opened, a soft beam of light from a child's pink Hello Kitty flashlight flickered into the yard. A small foot covered by a white cat-faced open toed slipper shuffled between the open door and the frame as a young girl slipped outside as quietly as could be. Her black hair disappeared in the darkness only the two red elastic hair ties that held the locks in low pigtails could be discerned. A long pink and yellow robe with white flowers on it was wrapped around the girl's slight frame, hiding her body and nightclothes from view. _

_A soft mewl from near her feet drew her attention, and with a soft hiss she bent down. Switching off and slipping her flashlight into the single pocket of her robe, she waved her hands, fingers down, palm up as she pushed the animal back inside only to have it try to escape again._

_"No, stay," she whispered to the small grey cat as she closed the door with as little sound as possible; the click of the tongue in the latch sounding loud in her ears. _

_Removing the thin pink flashlight from her pocket the young girl fumbled with the large pink cat head shaped switch. Shaking the device and willing it to work she was nearly blinded when it finally turned on, the light shining directly in her eyes. Blinking rapidly as she directed the beam in front of her, she took a deep breath. Biting her bottom lip, she summoned up her courage, standing to her full six year old height and moved out into the shrine grounds. Her steps were slow, unsteady, her attention undivided as she focused on the light coming from the doors of the shrine house. A sense of foreboding hastened her steps. Her father was in that shed. He hadn't come in to check for monsters in her room before she was tucked in for bed. He _always_ checked for monsters before she went to sleep._

_"Papa?" Her breath caught in her throat as she stopped cold._

_Her eyes were wide, terrified her body trembling with a staggering cold that only she could feel. She could feel it, couldn't she? The darkness, the evil. The overwhelming feeling that her father was in danger drove her forward, her feet moving faster than her mind could comprehend. She slipped, catching herself on the very next step and realized absently that she had lost her slippers and was now barefoot. Wet leaves stuck to her feet; small stones cut and scratched at her soles, but still she ran. _

_Sniffling back desperate tears, her breath coming in broken stilted gasps, she didn't notice when her flashlight fell from her hands, clattering to the ground and shattering the plastic feline head that was the light switch. All the girl knew was that she wasn't moving fast enough._

_"Papa!" she cried, out stumbling into the doors as she pushed them open._

_Her eyes widened, her voice leaving her as she watched her uncle put his hand to her father's chest. A malicious sneer twisted the man's face as a dark shadow; a black sphere infused with a sickly dark purple light was pushed from her uncle's hand into her father's chest. _

Kagome! Wake up.

_"PAPA!!!" the child screamed out as she ran at her uncle. _

Kagome wake up!

_Whose voice was that? Why did it seem so familiar?_

_The child tried to shove the man away from her father to no avail. She screamed again as her father crumpled to the floor, his heart no longer beating. She screamed at her uncle, called him a monster as he laughed at her._

Damnit, wench! Wake UP!

_That voice again. It was demanding, angry, yet she also knew she'd find safety there._

_The girl was sobbing over her father's body, covering it with her own. Looking up, she screamed as her uncle touched her head, and pain exploded behind her eyes._

KAGOME!

Kagome jerked awake, her own scream startling her, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. Her eyes were impossibly wide in her face and wild with fear. Her body may now be awake, but her mind was still trapped inside the dream, the memory.

"No!" Kagome cried out sharply when Inuyasha touched her arm.

Inuyasha pulled his hand back slowly when she jerked away from him, his face a mass of worried confusion when she struggled to stand, falling when she was almost on her feet. Catching her before she could hit the floor, he was surprised when she screamed again and fought against him.

"Damnit to hell, Kagome! Wake the fuck up!" the hanyou snarled, grasping her shoulders and shaking her.

The shoji door of their room was thrown open, slamming back into it's track before bouncing slightly forward at the impact. Inuyasha growled, not needing to use his eyes, his nose already telling him who was coming into the room.

"What's wrong?" Sango asked as she and Miroku burst into the room; Kirara and Shippou fast on their heels.

"She won't fucking wake up!" Inuyasha growled, frustrated and scared for the girl.

The scent of her fear was overwhelming, even starling the young fox kit as he stood frozen watching his adopted mother. It choked the hanyou, enraging his youkai as it left him angry at the sense of helplessness that stayed his hand. He was growling, shaking, his ears folded halfway back as his claws scraped against the wood of the floor leaving marks and curling up the slivers of wood beneath his claws. He could fight a youkai; hell, he could fight a human or anything else for that matter, but he didn't know how to fight a dream.

"Make her say your name, Inuyasha," Miroku said as he watched his terrified friend, sensed her rising panic.

"How the hell am I suppose to do that, monk?!" the hanyou snarled as Kagome again shied away from him.

"Anyway you can. Just make her say your name, Inuyasha," Miroku repeated as he leaned on his staff, Sango next to him.

Sango stood next to Miroku, Kirara on her shoulder and Shippou in her arms. Her hair hung loose down her back; her eyes alert though dark with her need for sleep. She watched Kagome, understanding Inuyasha's anger at the feeling of helplessness and far too powerful worry for the girl, for she felt it all as well. She could see the hanyou's uncertainty, his near reluctance at not knowing how to accomplish what needed to be done.

"It has to be you, Inuyasha," Sango said, taking a step forward as her eyes switched back and forth between the hanyou and miko. "You're the only one she will turn to for comfort, the only one she will find safety in. You hold her heart, Inuyasha."

"Feh."

The hanyou blushed as he turned his attention back to Kagome. He knew they would refuse to leave if he told them to but hated the idea that they would see the display he was about to put on. Moving to stand on his hands and knees, he gave a breathy 'woof' and moved slowly toward the girl that sat cowering against the wall. Her eyes were wild, unfocused, and completely blind to the world around her.

Shippou's eyes widened as he watched Inuyasha. The only time he'd ever seen such a display before was when his father had done so with his mother after a lesser rat youkai had attacked their den.

Folding his ears back against his head when she failed to respond, Inuyasha gave a low whine and moved forward, rubbing his cheek against hers. The touch, though gentle, startled her, and she moved her hands up to push him away. The feel of his puppy ears beneath her fingers stopped her, stayed her fear; the feel of his youki brushing against her calmed her panic and coaxed her spirit to respond to him, to recognize him. Slowly, barely more than a whisper upon her mind, her dream began to lose its hold on her. A soft sigh escaped her as the all too familiar voice became stronger, held her safe, as the person the voice belonged to took form in her mind.

The fire rat clothes…the enchanted beads…the sharp claws…the powerful sword and bright golden eyes…A promise of safety, a familiar spirit, and a twitch of the white puppy ears that she loved so very much.

Ever so slowly the room around her began to fade into view. Sliding her hands through his hair, she was comforted by the feel of its softness.

"Inu – Inuyasha?" Kagome blinked her eyes as she looked at him, tears making the brown depths shimmer in the moonlight that filled the room.

The tears that swam in her eyes spilled down her cheeks as she reached a trembling hand out to Inuyasha – hoping, praying that he really was there in front of her. He didn't realize that he was holding his breath, his eyes unmoving, unblinking as he watched her. He held still; his ears that had been folded back against his head slowly rose to stand tall, bent toward her to catch every sound as he waited for her to touch him. As her hand neared his cheek she could feel his warm breath. Touching his cheek, her eyes opened wider, a gasping sob breaking from within her as she shot forward, her arms wrapping around his shoulders and neck as her body slammed into his.

Inuyasha caught her in his arms as he felt himself fall to the floor behind him, landing on his back, Kagome sprawled on top of him, lying between his spread legs. Kagome clung to him desperately, her body trembling, quaking with her near violent sobs. She kept crying his name, chanting it softly into his neck as though she were still searching for him. He tightened his arms around her, burying one hand in her hair as he cupped the back of her head holding her to him and bent his knees, his feet flat on the floor as he sat up with her.

His movements were slow, careful as he turned her, shifted her, kissed her hair as he moved her in closer. Her body was framed by his bent legs; her refusal to let go of him making his movements clumsy. It tore at him, broke him, filled him with such a powerful surge of rage that he trembled for only a moment as he held her tighter still. He loved her; it was a fact that could no longer be denied, from which he couldn't run. His love for her no longer scared him as it once had. It was so powerful, almost too powerful; he was never quite as strong as he was when he was with her – but this? The power this dream held over her…the scent of her tears, her fear, the way she trembled in his arms, the sounds of her breaking sobs, stilted gasping breaths…it was almost more than he could take.

"I'm here, Kagome," he told her softly; his lips brushing against the shell of her ear as he spoke. To know that this was all he could do, offer a few words of comfort, his touch, his presence, it didn't feel like nearly enough, did it? "I've got you, Kagome. I've got you."

Her tears were hot, wringing painful sobs from deep within her as the scent of the salt stung his nose. She would cry herself to sleep soon; he could smell the rising exhaustion. He needed to move her back to the futon before that, he wanted to lay with her, hold her close, cover them both with the blankets, and keep her warm and safe next to him. Looking around, he discovered that at some point the others had left, closing the door behind them, and leaving him alone with the girl in his arms.

To get to a position where he could stand up with her he knew he would have to let her go, even if only for a moment. He hated the idea of it, but there was no way around it. Slowly loosening his hold on her, he unwrapped his arms from around her and tried to lift up, to shift into a kneeling position only to be startled by the strength of her reaction.

"_No! Please!_" she cried out, gripping him tighter, pulling him back down to the floor. "Please don't leave me."

"Shh," he soothed her, wrapping her up in his arms once more. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise." He stroked her hair, rubbed her back. "I'm just going to move us to the futon."

Sliding his hand over her cheek, he cupped her face in his palm and brushed her still falling tears away with the pad of his thumb. Pillowing her head in his hand, Kagome looked up at him, her eyes wet, the tears shining like crystal droplets in the moonlight. The softness in his gaze soothed her, reassured her. Closing the distance between them, he kissed her forehead, her eyes, sipped at her tears before kissing her trembling lips with the touch of butterfly wings.

"I won't leave you, Kagome," he promised her sagely. "I promised I'd always protect you, didn't I?" She nodded, a gentle smile toying with her lips. "I – I'm sorry, Kagome."

"For what?" she asked, her nostrils flaring as she fought to control her tears.

"I failed you," he said, his ears half folded, drooping in his upset. "I didn't protect you."

Her brow furrowed as he got his feet underneath him and lifted her into his arms. He stood slowly, cradling her to his chest refusing to meet Kagome's eyes. He took her the few steps to the futon and crouched low, laying her down on the soft bed. The gentle touch of her fingers on his left ear made him look up at her.

"It was a _dream,_ Inuyasha," Kagome said as she rubbed his ear. "You can't protect me from a dream."

He blinked at her and flicked back the ear she'd been rubbing, drawing a giggle from her. A yawn broke the tension of the moment, and he smiled down at her as she lay back upon the pillow, and he drew the blanket up to her chin. Raising her arms out from underneath the blanket, she reached for him.

"Lay with me?" she as asked as sleep closed in around her. "Hold me?"

"Always," he promised, climbing in behind her.

Kagome turned on her side to face him and tucked herself into his chest, twining her legs with his as he pulled the blanket up over himself. Wrapping her up in his arms, he sighed contently. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, smiling when he nudged his arm underneath her head. Pillowing her cheek on his fire rat clothed bicep, her eyes stayed locked with his as he combed the claws and fingers of his free hand through her hair.

Kagome scooted closer to him, curling her hand in his haori. The golden hue of his eyes darkened to a deep, burning topaz. His hand stilled in her hair, his fingers curling behind her neck. The pads of his fingers, the tips of his claws were gentle, enticing as he rubbed the base of her skull. He watched as her eyes darkened into pools of midnight sky staring back at him. Her lips parted, air sucked in as a fevered flush rose upon her cheeks. He could hear her heart beat faster, feel her body begin to tremble deliciously against him as she pushed her body into his. His senses were teased, enriched, enslaved and set free by her changing scent. Kagome could feel a growing tightness in her abdomen, an almost pain that wasn't quite painful as her body flooded with a warmth, a sensation so strong and so foreign that she knew no name for it.

Flowers, spices, a touch of honey and summer berries; his own scent – darker and baser – mixed in, the soaps she'd used while in the bath, and the salty tang of her now forgotten tears; it all mixed together into a heady perfume the hanyou was powerless to resist. He nudged his leg, clothed in the fire rat hakama, between her thighs, rubbing slowly, persistently back and forth in an up and down sawing motion. Kagome panted, her eyes closed slowly as he watched the changing emotions upon her face; the look of rapture, pleasure, her submission to her own growing desire as she whispered his name, begged for something she couldn't name, something she didn't fully understand.

A low growl, a soothing rumble sounded from the hanyou as he felt her rock against his thigh, her panting breaths – shaking and broken as she moaned and called his name. He could smell the dewy dampness of her womanhood; a whine sounded from him as his ears folded back; his eyes narrowed, and he kissed her. Kagome jerked at the touch of his lips on hers. An explosion of lights behind her closed eyes drew a gasp from her, inviting his tongue in to play with hers. She groaned. Her hand diving into his hair, holding him to her as her other hand fisted into the folds of his haori the backs of her fingers pressing against the smooth, warm skin of his chest.

Inuyasha groaned, rubbing his thigh against her wet center as she rocked against him with abandon. She moaned into the kiss, caressed his fangs with her tongue and whimpered in pleasure when he growled into her mouth. Rolling her onto her back, Inuyasha cupped her face in his hands, never breaking the kiss as he settled himself between her legs. Kagome broke the kiss, took in a deep shuddering, shaking breath as he kissed his way down her chin, across her jaw line, nipping at her smooth skin, nuzzled her pulse with the tip of his nose. He stopped, lifted his face away from her skin for a single moment only to return to her, to drag his hot tongue up from the hollow of her throat to the pulsing, throbbing point on her jugular just below her ear. His lips curled back as he closed in further, scraping his fangs lightly along her skin causing her to cry out and tremble violently.

Her legs spread wider, her knees bending, her feet lifting up off the bed only to lock at the ankles in the small of his back. That feeling, the almost pain in her abdomen tightened more, and, strangely enough, she knew she wanted more of that feeling, didn't want it to stop. His hands moved, one hand combing deeper into her hair, holding still her head as he found her lips with his once more, plundering the hot moist cavern of her mouth with his tongue. His other hand slipped down, his thumb brushing back and forth over her throat as the hand went lower still. Down over her shoulder, feeling the soft silk of the kimono she'd worn back from the bathing chamber beneath his calloused hand. The heat of her skin beneath the silk burned him, soothed him as his touch caused a vicious layer of gooseflesh to erupt upon her body.

She sighed, whimpered, moaned into his kiss as he teased her with the barest hint of touches to the outside of her right breast, both still fully covered by their respective clothing. It was the almost touch – the barely there brush of his claw over her erect nipple – that broke the damn inside of her and freed the raging flood of her release as she cried out his name. He smiled with pure male pride as he kissed her slowly, gently, loosed her legs from around his waist as he eased her down from the precipice and calmed her over excited nerves.

Inuyasha breathed in deeply, ignoring his own needs as he rolled onto his back. Sliding his arm underneath her back, he moved her, tucked her into his side. Kagome was still panting, still shuddering with the after effects of their intimate play. Curling up on her side, she pillowed her torso along his, her head on his shoulder as she wrapped herself around him, one leg curled in between his. Pulling the blankets up over them both, once again, he kissed her hair. He watched as her eyes fluttered closed, a happy sigh sounding from her as her scent changed, nearing that of sleep.

"Go to sleep, Kagome," he told her softly when she blinked tiredly at him. "Sweet dreams."

~*~*~*~*~*~


	6. Danger on the Horizon

**Chapter 6**

***~*~*~Danger on the Horizon*~*~*~**

=-=-=-AN: Hopefully this will answer those questions that I know some of you must have concerning Shiro=-=-=-

The azurite sky of the early predawn morning began to lighten slowly; the brilliance of the stars receding from view beyond the Tokyo skyline as the once dark sky became infused with the burnt orange, fire gold, and salmon pink colors of the morning light. The colors came upon the clouds as beautiful and innocent as an artist's brushstrokes, so gentle, so inviting that it left one helpless but to stare out into it as the molten copper disk that was the sun rose slowly over the horizon. It's blindingly beautiful light reflected off the glass of the crowded buildings in the business district like so many mirror balls. Across the already bustling city, the Higurashi Shrine stood strangely quiet, almost as though it were lost in time.

The light from the sun bled across the ground, lighting the concrete and grass like light escaping through an opening door. It rose slowly over the house, sneaking up the walls only to peak in through the upstairs bedroom window. It lit upon the wooden floor covered by tatami mats and crept across to the bed illuminating the adolescent boy lying buried within the blankets. With a deep reluctant groan, Souta pulled the top blanket up over his head if only to hide for a few more moments before the day came to claim him. Curling the blanket around his clenched fist, he tucked it under his chin and lay quietly, staring out across his room. The look on his face was forlorn; a sad loneliness deep within his eyes, haunting the dark depths.

"Kagome," the boy whispered her name, almost afraid to say it any louder, "where are you?"

There was no one to answer his question, and the only person who could answer it he knew would not be there. It had been months since his sister had been home, and he missed her terribly. Of course she had been gone many times before this, but this was the longest she had ever stayed away. Curling his legs up to his chest, the boy bent his head, and his eyes saddened just a bit more; he wasn't suppose to have heard the conversation but he had and he was beginning to understand, even if he still had too many questions left unanswered.

He had been on the stairs a few weeks ago when he had heard Inuyasha's voice in the kitchen talking with his mother. He had hoped, prayed actually, that his sister had come through the well with the hanyou, but had opted to sit on the stairs and listen in to the conversation rather than search out his sibling. He had heard them talking about his uncle Shiro, about Kagome's reaction to the man. Souta wished he could understand his sister on this. Whatever it was about the man that she saw and no one else did – it frightened her beyond all reason, didn't it?

Kicking the covers off of his body, the boy stood and began to get ready for school. Violently tugging off his sleep shirt and replacing it quickly with the top to his school uniform, he fairly growled. He knew why Kagome wouldn't come home anymore; hell, he'd been home to see her upset at the knowledge that their Uncle Shiro had moved in with them. He'd secretly witnessed her reaction when the man had touched her shoulder and his look of almost triumph when Kagome had paled and fled from the house without a word to anyone. It angered him that the man scared her so much – nothing scared his fearless sister, not like that. It bothered him that she wouldn't tell him why their uncle frightened her so much, always saying that no one believed her, and that she didn't want to be sent back to that place again – wherever _that place_ happened to be. She wouldn't talk about that either.

The boy slowed his movements, pulling on his socks as he became lost in thought; a slow realization dawned that hadn't occurred to him before now. It had to do with their father, didn't it? Shaking his head as he straightened, Souta sighed, checking his backpack to make sure he had everything he would need before leaving his room. He'd only been fifteen months old when their father had died, too young to have any memories at all of the man that his sister had treasured, cherished above all others. But it was worse for Kagome, wasn't it? His sister had been with their father when he had died. The way his uncle had told the story, finding Kagome passed out on top of their father, it was strange. Kagome had always insisted that Shiro had been there the entire time, that it in fact was he who had killed their father, no matter that all official reports said that he'd died from a heart attack.

The earliest memory he had was one that to this day still bothered him, scared him almost. Kagome had been seven, almost eight at the time, and having just turned three, Souta had been just old enough to remember their uncle convinced his mother to send Kagome away for counseling. He had remembered the months without her; his uncle insisting that it would help Kagome understand what had happened and better deal with her grief and the misplaced anger that she had directed at him. When she had come back nearly four months later she was vastly different. He could remember her disturbing silence, the way she would sit and simply stare at the walls, refusing to talk unless it was absolutely necessary. He remembered his mother's nearly constant tears that lasted over the next year as she tried to get Kagome to talk, to eat, to even sleep normally again. His sister had been so guarded, so afraid, so…broken.

Souta was halfway down the stairs leading into the front room just off of the kitchen when he heard Shiro and his mother arguing. He could tell that they were in the kitchen; his mother sounded angry, defensive, protective, where his uncle instead sounded demanding and almost threatening. Crouching low on the stairs, he gripped the wooden rails in his hands and listened intently to the voice emanating from the kitchen.

_"I will _not_ send my daughter back to that center, Shiro! I did that once; I listened to you once about that, and they sent her back to me broken, afraid even to speak!" _

_"Perhaps so, Kina," Shiro argued his voice low, dangerous, "but now your precious daughter has run away. Tell me why it is you haven't called the police yet, or even started a search for her?"_

_  
"Because I know where she is and who she's with," his mother said, and Souta suddenly wished Inuyasha was there now. "My daughter is safe, and that is all that matters to me."_

_"She's safe from me you mean."_

Souta could hear the sneer in the man's voice and recoiled in fear. He'd never truly taken note of the man's anger and hostility toward his sister before. Why was their uncle so afraid of Kagome? What was it about her that threatened him so much? Inuyasha had told him once in confidence that Kagome was the strongest and purest miko he'd ever met, stronger even then Kikyou. The hanyou had told him, in a moment of pride, that Kagome could slay a youkai practically just by looking at it. Was that it? Was that why Shiro was so threatened? But then, how could he even know about anything like that regarding his sister?

_"Go to work, Shiro," his mother said in a deadly quiet voice._

_"We'll talk about this later, little sister," the man returned._

Souta scurried up the stairs to the top landing as the man thudded forcefully out of the house, slamming the front door in his wake. It worried Souta beyond the telling of it that his mother had been threatened. Running down the stairs, he skidded into the kitchen to find his mother sitting at the kitchen table, her face pale and tears glistening in her eyes.

"Mom?" Souta moved close enough to her to put his hand on her shoulder.

The woman looked up at him, not even attempting a smile for his benefit, and Souta was fairly certain he wouldn't have wanted her to even try. Standing from the table, she took Souta's school bag from his shoulder and sat it on the table as she opened it and began to methodically empty it of its contents.

"Mom…what are you doing?" Souta asked, thoroughly confused as he watched the woman.

"Go get changed, Souta," she told him softly, unable to hide the tremor in her voice. "You're going to stay with a friend of your father's and mine for a few days."

"Who?" Souta asked; she had never mentioned a friend of their father's to him before, so why now?

"Ginta…and his sister Ayame."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Jade green eyes flared wide for an instant as a sharp breath was hissed in through clenched teeth. Eyes narrowing angrily, the tall kitsune youkai slipped back into the cover of the trees he was standing near, disappearing easily into the shadows. He waited a moment, listening for anything more of what he'd heard before turning and speeding off through the cover of the dense forest.

Red orange hair streaked throughout with golden highlights looked like so much fire as the kitsune ran through the trees, pushing himself harder and faster than he ever had before. Nearly a year ago his lord had charged him with the task of following the hanyou and the miko that traveled with him and keeping him up to date on any and all news concerning the two. It was only a simple rumor that had made him travel far away from the hanyou and his pack.

Kanaye was still in a state of disbelief over what he had heard. What he found to be even stranger still was that he had heard the exact same thing from the golden lion tai youkai, ruler of the eastern lands, as well as from the human prince whose castle resided in the lion's lands. Realizing that he was far enough away, the kitsune closed his eyes, his body dissolving into a ball of light that moved faster than any eye could see.

He returned to his lord's castle in record time; his form reappearing just inside the stone walls. Breathing deeply to steady himself, Kanaye followed his lord's scent until he came upon him. Standing just outside the open doorway to the child's room, the kitsune watched as his proud stoic lord tucked his adopted daughter into her bed and bid her sweet dreams before rising and leaving the room. Closing the door quietly behind him, the tai youkai pinned the kitsune with his cold golden stare.

"I trust you have news, Kanaye."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

"Mamma," Souta looked out the window watching the passing traffic as they drove down the busy highway, "why have you never mentioned Ginta-san and Ayame-san before?"

Kina's lips curled up into a gentle smile as she thought about her treasured friends. She saw them once a week for lunch or coffee, but Souta was right; she'd never mentioned them to her family before. Perhaps it was just selfishness on her part, wanting to keep them to herself, but it had never seemed quite right to talk about them before. Benjiro had met them briefly at their wedding, but he too had felt that same sense of secrecy, almost like they were a special treasure that was not meant to be shared.

"Neither of them truly cares for formality, Souta," she said, her son turning his head to look at her. "As for my not mentioning them before…you'll understand once you meet them."

Taking an unmarked exit, Kina followed a winding dirt road through an old city that was little more than ghost town now. Souta stared out his window once more in wonder as he looked at the empty buildings and quiet streets.

"Where are all the people, Mamma?" Souta asked quietly.

"Nearly fifty years ago an epidemic of influenza swept through here. Back then, just like now, it was pretty much unheard of for anyone to die of the flu, but people did. Young, old, healthy, sickly, it didn't matter. Within two months eighty percent of this town's once thriving population was dead and buried. Those that were left called this place cursed and abandoned it. Rumor has it that within five weeks of leaving the town, all of its survivors were dead too."

"No one ever resettled it?" Souta asked, his face screwed up in a disbelieving expression. "Bakas."

Kina laughed warmly at her son's response to the story as she turned onto a bumpy, rarely used country path.

"Why do your friends live so far away?" the boy asked as he stared in awe at the natural beauty of the untouched wilderness.

"They like it out here. Ayame has the room she needs for her animal rescue, and Ginta is a novelist who also teaches judo and karate. Maybe he'll teach you some while you're here with them."

Winking at her son's hopeful expression, she smiled even brighter when he saw the house up ahead and stared in awe. Built by hand, it was a three story, twenty room mansion made out of woods and large stones found in the surrounding forest. It was elegantly rustic and majestic as though nature herself had built this house and invited those within to stay.

Kina knew that as big, as the house looked now, it would be that much bigger when they actually pulled into the drive. The river that ran beside the house came slowly into view as did the woman standing on the third story balcony. Kina laughed silently, almost able to hear her friend's excited shriek in her head as the woman disappeared from view.

Stopping the car just before the narrow bamboo walk that was feathered along its sides by billowing grasses, Kina turned off the engine and looked at her son. "Grab your bag, Souta."

Following his mother's direction, the boy unbuckled and turned around in his seat. Reaching behind his seat, he snatched the backpack from the floor of the car and turned back around in time to see his mother exit the car only to be gathered up in the twin embrace of her friends. Looking closer, he was stunned to see tears on his mother's face as she clung to the man with the two toned hair.

Jumping when his car door opened, Souta stared unblinking at the red haired woman. His eyes widened when she smiled at him. Did she have fangs?! Ayame chuckled softly, warmly, the sound putting Souta instantly at ease.

"Your father could see them too," she whispered to him and winked as she helped him out of the car, closing the door behind him. "I'm Ayame. You must be Souta."

"If you and my mother are such good friends," Souta began, his tone suspicious as he walked along the bamboo path next to Ayame. "Why is it that I've never met or heard of you before?"

"Your mother and sister had journeys they needed to take, journeys that Ginta and I couldn't interfere with."

Kina stood within the comforting warmth of Ginta's welcome embrace; her face hidden against his shoulder. It had been too long since she had last seen him; too long since she had lest felt the all encompassing safety of his protection, his love. He held her, soothed her, balanced her spirit and calmed the furious storm of her raging emotions. She felt his strength and his gentleness. He had promised her years ago that he would always protect her, always love her, but told her that it wasn't their time yet to be together. He had never explained his reasoning to her, and though she had loved her husband dearly, it had broken her heart when Ginta had stood aside and blessed their union.

"Stay with us here tonight, Kina," Ginta begged her, his voice little more than a rough whisper. His breath warm upon her ear. "Stay with me."

She spoke no words. Her arms tightened around him, her body pressing against and into his as she nodded against his chest. Kissing her bowed head, he held her tight and petted her short hair.

"You cut your hair again," he observed, feeling the recently cut ends. "Whatever happened to you liking it long? When we were first together it used to be down to your hips."

She pulled back slightly to see his face and smiled. "When the kids were small it was easier to keep it short. I guess I just got use to it."

She saw his pout and nearly laughed. Back when she was younger and had been in college the first time was when she had met Ginta. She could remember all the times that they would sit together, and he would wrap her hair around his hand only to let the strands slip away, always saying that it felt like the finest silk. Perhaps she'd grow it out again; she missed the feeling of his hands in her hair.

"Are you two coming inside?" Ayame called to them across the yard.

Ginta and Kina looked over at the wolf princess, their faces heating and sporting identical blushes. Offering his hand, Ginta smiled shyly when Kina put her palm in his hand, her own hand so small compared to his own. They walked up the bamboo path to the house and stepped inside, the door closing behind them.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Standing at the bottom of the half flight of concrete steps looking up, the man studied the name of the high school that was imprinted in the stone above the doors. To those who saw him from inside the building he appeared to be smiling – perhaps wistfully. To those that passed by him, however, they shied away, able to feel the malice in his deceptive expression, the carefully constructed mask hiding the darkness within. Walking up the steps he entered the building and strode purposefully toward the administration office as if he belonged there.

The secretary looked up as the outer office door opened. Her eyes widened upon seeing the man that entered, and she stood quickly, bowing low in respect to the man that she met briefly only once but had seen so many time in magazines.

"Takaida-san, welcome," she greeted, still bent low.

"Please…Sato-san," he said, reading the name plate that sat on her desk, "Shiro is fine."

The woman blushed and nodded as she retook her seat at his request. He leaned his hip casually against her desk and conversed idly with her about nothing in particular. Flirting with the woman and charming her senseless, he gained what he'd wanted and slipped past her to the principal's private office. He didn't bother knocking as he walked easily inside as if he owned the building.

"Takaida-san," the principal stood and bowed low, "to what do we owe the honor?"

"Unfortunately, Morimoto-san, there is little honor and even less pleasantry involved in my reason for being here," Shiro said, his face serious even as he laughed with triumph on the inside and silently cursed the man for his stupidity.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Takaida-san," Morimoto said adopting the man's serious demeanor as he waived a hand at the chairs across from his desk. "Please have a seat and tell me what is going on."

Shiro sat slowly, looking for all the world as though he truly regretted what he was about to say. Resting his elbows on the wooden arms of the chair, he steepled his fingers together and touched the tips to his lips before raising his bowed head and staring the man across from him in the eyes.

"I am here about Kagome," Shiro began slowly.

"Higurashi Kagome?" Morimoto questioned. "I did not know you knew her."

"She is my niece," he said watching as the other man's eyes widened. "What has her family told you in regards to her absences?"

"She is a sickly girl."

Shiro snorted indelicately, a harsh bark of a laugh breaking free. Shaking his head he mumbled to himself. _I should've been an actor, not an architect_, he thought humorously.

"Kagome is not sickly," he explained to the man. "She has been in and out of substance abuse rehabilitation programs."

"Surely you must be mistaken," Morimoto replied aghast.

"I wish it were so," Shiro said as he fine-tuned his act. "Kagome fell in with the wrong crowd and began experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and as we have only recently discovered, sex as well. My sister hid this all from me as well, not wanting the dishonor that Kagome's actions would bring upon her family. I would not even have known now had my nephew not called me during his mother's psychotic break. Apparently the stress that Kagome's problems put on my sister was too much for her to handle. All that aside," Shiro breathed a deep sigh, "I came here to inform you that Kagome will not be returning to school. We, well I, have decided that it is in her best interests to send Kagome to a substance abuse and behavioral reform school in the United States as their schools are far better equipped to handle those with Kagome's…problems."

Morimoto sat back in his chair, completely flabbergasted by what he was hearing.

"I simply just cannot believe it, not about Kagome-san."

"Believe me, Morimoto-san. Even I am still coming to terms with all of this myself."

"When will Kagome be leaving for this school?" the man asked.

"Two weeks…The school requires that she have no contact with friends or family for the first year that she is there."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" the man said, alarmed.

"Perhaps. But the school holds a ninety-eight percent success rate," Shiro looked down at his watch. "I do apologize, Morimoto-san, but I must leave."

The men stood up together and once again bowed to each other. Watching as the man left, Morimoto stood by the window and watched the human get into his car and drive away. Striding to his open office door, he closed it after leaving strict instructions not to be disturbed. Reaching into his pants pocket, he retrieved his cell phone and flipped it open. Not bothering to look at the device as he punched in a series of digits and brought the phone to his ear, listening impatiently as it rang on the other end.

"Mother," he spoke, foregoing any kind of greeting, "its Kenji. Tell Uncle that Kagome is in danger."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Sesshoumaru stared at Kanaye; his golden eyes fierce, angry.

"You are certain of this?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Yes my lord. Both Akira-sama and the human prince have issued orders for the hanyou's miko to be brought to them."

"What do they want with her?" Sesshoumaru inquired as he paced to the window of his study and looked out over the castle grounds.

Kanaye's eyes followed the inu youkai. He had suspected privately for a while now that Sesshoumaru wasn't trying to kill his younger half brother so much as he was trying to train him. His constant threats, promises that it would be him and he alone who would kill the hanyou – that was more a statement of protection. With a flick of his eyebrow, almost like a shrug, Kanaye supposed he could always be wrong. Though, in all the fights that the kitsune had witnessed the taiyoukai had never truly come close to killing the hanyou.

"Akira-sama has issued his orders with a decree: '_The miko Kagome will become his mate, or she will die'_."

Sesshoumaru looked down at his claws, only the stiffening of his back attesting to his rising temper.

"Inuyasha may be little more than an ignorant half breed, but none who have directly threatened the miko have ever survived." _Aside from Naraku, that is,_ he thought. "He will not stand for this."

"Nor will you, I suspect," Kanaye offered sagely.

"You step too far, Kanaye," Sesshoumaru warned as he narrowed his eyes, glaring coldly at the kitsune from over his shoulder.

"My apologies." Kanaye bowed low.

"The human prince?" Sesshoumaru turned around feeling infinitely restless. "What does he want with her?"

"All I was able to gather is that he intends for her to be a gift."

"A gift?" the taiyoukai repeated, his lip curling up in a silent snarl of disgust.

"Yes. Although who he intends her for, I do not know."

Sesshoumaru was silent for a while, his thoughts whirling, digesting the news. Kagome was by far the only human to gain his respect and in doing so, his protection – though he'd never tell anyone that nor let them see it. His brother and his pack of misfits seemed oddly well matched. How many times had he seen Kagome fight for them all when it was beyond hope that they could ever win the battle, only to come out the victor in the end? That girl had a fool's courage and the determination to back it up.

"Alert Kouga to this news," Sesshoumaru commanded.

"Kouga?" the kitsune was stunned. "The prince of wolves?"

"Is there another? …He fancies himself the miko's mate, though I believe this to be in an effort to irritate the hanyou more than anything else. He will make certain that she has the extra protection needed."

"And you, my lord?" Kanaye asked.

"This Sesshoumaru will deal with Akira-sama."

A knock at the closed door ended their conversation, and Sesshoumaru bid the person to enter. A beautiful rabbit youkai bowed low with some difficulty as she entered the room.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she spoke, her voice soft, and though she tried to hide it, both could hear the exhaustion in her tone. "Rin is asking for you."

Sesshoumaru was silent as he stepped up to her. Lifting his hand to her face he gently cupped her jaw in his palm, his long fingers fanning across the soft skin of her cheek. She would have blushed at the way he was staring at her had she not been so tired.

"Hana, you are not yet fully recovered. You should be resting," Sesshoumaru admonished her gently, his thumb slipping over the curve of her chin as he slid his hand up to pillow her cheek in his palm. "Why is Suki not tending to Rin?"

Neither Sesshoumaru's voice nor his eyes showed any concern, any emotion. It was the gentleness of his touch, the hard to hear barely there rumbling of his low soothing growl that told the story. His actions put Hana at ease and held the girl teetering on a razor's edge of sleep. Though he was loathe to admit it, it was the one trait that he shared with his little brother - their actions spoke far louder than their words.

"Rin-chan won't tell me why, but Suki frightens her."

Turning his golden eyes on Kanaye for a short moment, his eyes spoke his commands and he watched as Kanaye nodded and stepped quietly across the room, moving to stand behind Hana, his body nearly touching hers. Stepping closer to her, Sesshoumaru silently encouraged her to lean back against Kanaye. Her eyes falling closed as the kitsune's arms wrapped around her, sleep claiming her mercilessly. Sesshoumaru's hand fell from her face as he slowly stepped back from the pair.

"Take her to her chambers," Sesshoumaru said, watching as Kanaye lifted the sleeping rabbit youkai into his arms.

Sesshoumaru stood silently watching as Kanaye carried the sleeping youkai down the hall. It had been barely a week since Hana had bravely protected Rin from a dark miko, the young human having been seduced by Naraku's empty promises. Hana had fought hard, the fight lasting longer than it should have. He had been drawn by Rin's screams and the too strong scent of the child's fear and tears. He had found Hana half dead and unconscious on the ground, the dark miko readying an arrow to fire into the youkai to purify her. Sesshoumaru had killed the human without even sparing her a glance. He could still remember the unsettling feeling of holding Hana to his body as he'd sped her to the palace's chief healer. Ever since that day he'd become extremely protective of Hana, watching over her like a brother, like a best friend. Releasing a deep breath through his nose he turned and left the study, and made his way to Rin's chambers.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Kina moaned softly as awareness slowly returned to her. She felt warm, cosseted with a beautiful feeling of safety and love that she hadn't felt in years. Turning her face into the pillow beneath her head, she breathed in the welcome scents of earth, forest, rain and spice: Ginta's scent. Feeling the mattress dip beside her, she smiled as she felt a warm hand brush up over her cheek and temple to smooth her hair.

"Ginta," she breathed his name, her voice holding a dreamy quality.

Leaning down over her, Ginta touched his lips to her temple, lying stretched out on his side next to her. He watched her as she turned her face to him, her eyes opening slowly. Her lips curved up slowly in a dreamy sleep teased smile as she touched her hand to his cheek, her fingertips touching the ends of the hair at his temple.

"You're wearing your furs," Kina observed, running her hand through the furs covering his chest.

He captured her hand in his their fingers twining together. Holding their hands to his heart, he breathed in deeply of her scent.

"I need to hear you say it, Kina," he said, his gaze serious.

"Say what?" she asked, desperately wanting to soothe away the worried frown on his brow as she fell even deeper into his eyes.

"What I am. I revealed myself to you years ago. Do you still accept me as I am?"

"A wolf youkai? I'd want you no other way," she told him honestly. "Why do you hide yourself when you live so far out here?"

"It is our way. It is the only way that youkai and hanyou can coexist with humans peacefully. There is so much I have to tell you, so much you need to know."

"I love you Ginta, I always have. I trust you," she told him.

His smile was soft; his eyes alight with a warmth that was as inviting and arousing as it was soothing.

"There are some things I need to show you and a story that I need to tell you," he said softly, "about an adventure, a journey…and a miko."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Shiro stood inside the empty house. His sister hand taken Souta and run. He shook his head and chuckled darkly. So this latest development put a kink in his plans, a minor setback, but nothing to be concerned about. After all, it was Kagome he was really after. She was far too much like her father. It was alright though; the pureness of her spirit, the beauty of the love she gave so freely – it would make it all so much stronger when he finally shed her blood. And then he would have all the power he'd always desired…and more.


	7. Touch of Darkness

****Chapter 7****

**~*~*~*~*Touch of Darkness~*~*~*~***

Thump…Thump…Thump…Thump…

Miroku sat with his back against the wall across from the door Inuyasha was currently pacing in front of. Bracing his staff against the floor, he grasped it tightly and stood. Crossing his feet at the ankles, the monk leaned casually against the wall behind him, his staff leaning into his right shoulder, his arms crossed inside the sleeves of his kimono.

"She's not alone in there you know," Miroku pointed out reasonably.

Miroku sighed at the growl and menacing glare that answered him. At least it got Inuyasha to stop pacing. Thump…Thump…Thump…Miroku dropped his head and heaved an exasperated sigh. Taking in a deep breath, he lifted his head slowly and prayed silently for patience.

"Inuyasha, Sango is in the room with Kagome and the healer. Once there is an answer as to why Lady Kagome is not waking up they will tell us," he said and shook his head as the hanyou continued pacing and growling. "I'm sure that – "

Whatever Miroku was about to say was abruptly cut off when the door opened and Sango stepped into the hall. She closed the door behind her and took in a deep breath before facing the irritated and impatient hanyou. Her brown eyes were dark, heavy with doubt, self-recrimination, and sorrow. When her eyes met Miroku's he felt the uncontrolled need to take her into his arms, to shelter her from this and cast the darkness from her spirit. Miroku's muscles tensed, and he began to move, intent on giving into his need to shelter Sango; one look from Inuyasha stayed him.

"Speak, Sango," the hanyou commanded her.

The woman nodded, and when she spoke her voice was raspy and quiet, full of anguish.

"There's this…this dark spot on her left shoulder," she began slowly. "We – Kagome and I," she clarified, "we both thought it was just – just a bruise…Kagome said something about a dark sweater that she had worn without washing and rain…"

"The healer?" Miroku asked, hating to see Sango like this, timid almost. He ignored Inuyasha's growl as he took a few steps forward, leaving his staff leaning against the wall.

"She said the dark spot…that it's a 'touch of darkness'."

Sango paused, determined to gather her thoughts and gain control over her rapidly escalating emotions. She should've known, shouldn't she? She was a taijya; she should've recognized that mark for what it was. Sango didn't see the slight nod of Inuyasha's head; she didn't notice Miroku moving toward her until she was enveloped in his arms, cocooned within the folds of his kimono.

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked of Miroku, giving no more than an absent nod of his head when the healer left from the room and turned down the hall.

The monk looked up from the woman in his arms, her face buried in his chest. Stroking her hair, his violet eyes met Inuyasha's amber orbs.

"A 'touch of darkness' is a mark left behind by one who practices the dark magics."

"You mean a dark miko?" the hanyou asked, his brows furrowed. It wasn't often that they dealt with a dark miko, and he felt ill prepared for whatever fight that may lay ahead.

"Or a sorcerer," Miroku released a deep breath, quietly shushing the woman in his arms as he kissed her hair. "It's what happens when one of darkness tries to take over one of light. Lady Kagome is strong, her spirit is pure; we've all seen proof enough of that when she purifies the youkai we fight. However, this mark, the darkness of the sorcerer is attacking her very soul. It explains why she's become so sick. If she is unable to fight this darkness – unable to purify it – it will eventually kill her."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The warmth that surrounded her cosseted her and left her reluctant to open her eyes and let go of the last vestiges of sleep. She could feel the quiet strength of the arms around her, the promise of protection they held even as they held her. Cuddling deeper in to the chest that pillowed her cheek, her hand moved, her fingers rubbing up and down in the vale of the bare chest beneath her.

The body beneath her trembled, a quiet chuckle breaking the early morning stillness. A warm hand combed into her short hair, and she smiled at the gentle brush of claws against her scalp. Full masculine lips pressed a gentle kiss upon her brow, and she sighed happily. The woman turned her face up to his, arching her neck invitingly as she placed a chaste kiss on the underside of his jaw.

"Good morning, Kina."

Kina breathed in deeply, a pseudo yawn, as she stretched her body, rubbing along the length of his. His arms tightened around her, his hands splayed across her back, loving the feel of her sinewy muscles contracting and relaxing. The feel of the soft sweater covering her, his sweater, his scent upon her played mad havoc with his senses. A blush stole across his cheeks as he felt himself harden, his breath shortening and coming in quiet gasps as a near violent tremor rippled through his muscles. A wave of electricity spiraled up his spine to tingle just under his scalp at the back of his head.

He wanted her – _badly. _One deep intake of breath brought her scent to him with the knowledge that she wanted him as well. Ginta nearly whined with the effort it took not to act on his desires. Closing his eyes, he drew in a deep, steadying breath and bit the inside of his cheek.

'_She wants us, baka! Just like she did way back then!' _his youkai fairly growled at him.

_'It's too soon,'_ he told his youkai blood, the coppery taste of blood filling his mouth when his fangs punctured the flesh of his cheek. '_She's not ready yet…and I don't know that I'm ready yet, either.'_

_'We wait?'_ his youkai asked, starting to understand.

_'We wait,'_ Ginta affirmed.

_'Don't fuck it up like last time,'_ his youkai warned angrily. _'She belongs with us – she's our _mate_ damnit. She should've been with us all this time, but _you_ had to screw it all up so that she could be with that human.'_

_'Hey! She had to be with him…Kagome had to be born.'_

_'So you finally admit that she's ours now?'_ his youkai asked, beginning to calm.

_'Yes. And this time I intend to keep her - forever.'_

Ginta could feel himself relax, his muscles lose their tension. A soft touch on his face, fingers tracing the lines of his jaw and cheekbone drew his attention. His eyes opened, a soft light held within them as he looked at the woman lying next to him. She was propped up on her elbow, her cheek resting on the backs of her fingers, her hand held loose and open.

"I haven't seen you this serious since the day you made me go on that date with Benjiro," Kina mused, brushing his hair from his temple with the tips of the fingers of her free hand.

He captured her hand, kissed her knuckles. He stared at her reverently. Whereas other youkai and hanyou would have surely died from such a long separation from their mate, he had lived; he had waited for her. For those youkai and hanyou though, they would've suffered from the rejection of their mate – Kina, Kina had never rejected him. She had waited for him as well.

"I've missed you," he confessed, his voice quiet and choked with emotion.

"So have I," she admitted, stroking her fingers through the gray hair at his temples. "I always thought you'd come for me after Ben died, but you didn't. Not like I imagined you would."

Ginta sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, gently tugging her down to lie on his chest once again. He still hadn't told her the story, shared with her his earliest memories of Kagome. She'd been here with him for little over a day now and surprisingly had slept most of that time. Even Kina hadn't realized that she was that tired. Kissing her forehead, he looked to his left and opened the drawer of his bedside table. Contorting his arm to reach inside the drawer, he slipped his fingers inside the corner of a well-worn envelope and pulled it out before bumping the drawer closed with his elbow.

"What is this?" Kina asked, taking the envelope he handed to her and sitting up against the headboard.

"You need to look through those," Ginta said as he sat up next to her.

Kina gasped, her fingers fanning over her lips as she stared at the picture of her sixteen year old daughter standing with Ginta dressed in his furs beside a group of people. The only one in the picture that she recognized besides Ginta and her daughter was Inuyasha, who appeared to be fighting with another man – youkai – who was dressed in furs as well. The youkai's hair was long, hanging down his back from the confines of a ponytail, a fur band wrapped around his head.

"That's Kouga," Ginta tapped a claw gently on the youkai fighting with Inuyasha. "He always used to say that Kagome was his mate…"

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Arms crossed over a well-defined chest covered in furs, long raven hair, caught up in a tight and high ponytail, lifted and danced with the breeze blowing from behind him. Sharp blue eyes looked out over the land as pointed ears strained to pick up every sound, no matter how small. His nostrils flared as his nose twitched. He'd woken up before the sun had even risen, knowing without a doubt that something was wrong. Danger seemed to looming just over the next rise.

Kouga had sent Ginta and Hakkaku out just after dawn telling them to look out for anything unusual and report back at midday. He'd never tell either of them, but he was glad they tended to be more level headed than he was; it was why he trusted them so much. Kouga felt antsy, angry; itching for a fight; always one to react first and think later, he hated having to wait for the news from his comrades. It was well past midday, and it took all he had to stay where he was and not go out in search of them.

_"Kouga!"_

His head snapped to the side as his blue eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. He could smell Ginta but only because of the direction of the wind at his back. Hakkaku was the one calling for him and there was another scent with them that kept playing a maddening game of hide-and-go-seek with the changing direction of the wind.

Hakkaku called for him again as he and Ginta broke through the thick brush on the edge of the forest. They were followed by a tall red haired youkai – a kitsune his nose told him as he finally got a whiff of his scent. Neither of the wolf youkai seemed to be in danger or fearful of the fox following them. In fact, it seemed to him that they were leading him back to the caves.

Kouga was shocked by the depth of seriousness in Ginta's gaze. Normally the sensitive and more soft-spoken of the duo and the first to instigate play, to see him so serious was unsettling. Kouga waited restlessly as his wolves and the kitsune that followed them approached him.

"Have somewhere you need to be, Ginta?" Kouga asked, his tone bored, his eyes fierce, penetrating.

"Sister Kagome is in danger," Ginta said, his voice tight with equal amounts of worry and anger, his eyes holding a seriousness that dared not be questioned. "Tell him," he snarled at Kanaye.

Kouga was taken aback by Ginta's tone. Sure, he'd battled beside the wolf before, but never had he heard Ginta growl like that. He'd never heard him so angry and ready for a fight.

"Go," Kouga commanded Ginta. "Take one of the wolves with you," he said and waited as one of the thickly furred animals went to Ginta's side. "Stay with her once you find her and send the wolf back to me."

Ginta nodded once and then turned to Kanaye, repeating his command before sprinting away. Kouga's eyes followed Ginta until he disappeared into the trees. Blue eyes, sharp and calculating, turned to study the kitsune. He already knew that the fox was one of Sesshoumaru's, his scent told him that much.

"So talk," Kouga commanded, his tone carefree.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

"Sango, you mustn't blame yourself," Miroku said as he sat down beside her in the grass under the light of the moon.

The woman in question shook her head as she stared at the ground under her left hand, absently listening to the jingling of the monk's staff as he laid it down at his side. Blades of the soft grass tickled her skin when she flexed her fingers.

"I should've known, Miroku," Sango said, her voice quiet and sad. Her tone reminded Miroku of when she spoke of her brother – the self blame, the doubt and sadness. "Even though I didn't know, I still should've said something."

She closed her eyes as she tried to deny the stinging behind them and in her nose. She didn't want to cry, didn't think she had the right to when she believed Kagome's condition to be her fault. She felt Miroku slip his arm around her shoulders and leaned into his side as the first tear fell.

"Oh, Sango," he said sadly.

Her face was wet with tears she couldn't fight when the first painful sob tore from within her. It hurt so much to think that another person she cared for was once again in danger because of her. The difference was that this time – this time there was no battle, nothing and no one they could fight together; this time the evil was inside of Kagome.

Miroku held her securely in his arms as she cried into his robes. When her tears caused her to shake so much he thought she might shatter, he lifted her only to settle her in his lap as he wrapped her more securely in his embrace. Sango's arms snaked around his waist, her hands slipping up his back to grasp desperately onto the cloth between his shoulders.

He held her there in his lap; one arm wrapped around her back, the other hand cupping the back of her head as she cried. His fingers combed gently into her hair, dislodging the band that held it tightly bound, raven locks spilling over his hand in a silken wave. He shushed her gently, whispered to her words of comfort that he forgot as soon as he spoke. She leaned into him slightly, and he could sense the growing exhaustion that was pulling at her.

Leaning her back into the crook of his arm, he smoothed the tear dampened hair off her cheek and brushed the backs of his fingers under her eyes, wiping away the still falling tears. She looked up at him, her dark eyes full of a vulnerability that tore at him and made him hurt to see in someone who was usually so strong. Cradling her in his arms, he bent over her and nuzzled her cheek with his for a moment before kissing her damp salty lips slowly only once.

"Let me take care of you, Sango," he requested of her as he stared into her eyes, his brow resting upon her own. "Just for tonight, let me take care of you."

She sniffled, swallowed back her tears and nodded. She couldn't remember having ever seen such concern and sincerity in his gaze before. Her eyes felt heavy, her mind slowing to an aching crawl as her eyes fell closed only to slowly open again. Her body felt lead weighted, and it took too much effort to lift her hand. Miroku gave a gentle and disarming half smile as he caught her hand in his and kissed her palm.

"Go to sleep, Sango," Miroku told her gently. "I'll watch over you."

Sango gave a small, sleep heavy smile as she shivered and snuggled closer to his warmth. Miroku watched as her eyes closed and felt her silent sigh as sleep claimed her. He couldn't take his eyes off her face, was helpless but to watch as her face relaxed in sleep. He marveled at how young and peaceful she looked.

Red cloth appeared before his eyes, and Miroku looked up to see Inuyasha crouching in front of him. The hanyou was quiet as he studied the woman sleeping in the monk's arms, her face damp and fevered from her tears, her eyes red and softly swollen.

"Don't let her blame herself for Kagome," Inuyasha said, his voice soft. "Can you get up with her?" he asked, lifting his head to stare at Miroku.

"No," the man said and eased his hold on her as Inuyasha lifted her into his arms.

Sango stirred slightly, whimpered quietly at the change of position as she searched for Miroku in her sleep. Inuyasha let a low, soothing growl rumble quietly to her and she sighed as she fell deeper into the dreamless sleep. He studied her face for a moment, a frown marring his brow. They'd been traveling together so long now that it was an odd feeling to know that it would be the monk he would have to let protect her. Sango was a female of the pack, and as such, under his protection – as they all were, but if Miroku played his cards right she would soon be his mate.

"Don't let your hands get away from you tonight, monk," Inuyasha warned him gruffly. "Just let her sleep."

"I won't," he promised as he took Sango once more into his arms and nodded gratefully when the hanyou snatched up his staff. Miroku sighed. "I don't know how to make her see that this wasn't her fault," he confessed.

"Just keep telling her it isn't until she believes you," Inuyasha said simply as they walked into the house and down the hall into their rooms.

"I don't think that will work this time," Miroku said, nodding his head in thanks as Inuyasha opened the bedroom door for him. "You and I both know that she blames herself for her brother falling into Naraku's hands and even more when one of us is hurt because of him. Hush, Sango, sleep," he soothed her when she stirred as he laid her down on the cold futon and covered her with the blanket.

Inuyasha stepped further into the room and looked down at Sango with a curious frown on his face. Crouching down next to her, he lifted her hand and put his nose to the inside of her wrist, sniffing at her.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, keeping his voice soft. "What is it?"

Inuyasha shook his head slightly, uncertain as to why her scent was bothering him so much. He could feel the monk's eyes watching him, but paid no heed to his attention. Dragging his tongue over her skin, tasting her pulse, he was no closer to an answer than before. Placing her hand down on her stomach, he stood and walked over to the pile of her neatly folded slayer clothing that lay near the covered window.

Lifting the pieces of cloth, he buried his nose first in the shirt near the collar and then again along the torso.

_Damnit! Why can't I figure out what it is about her scent that bothers me?!_ Inuyasha snarled

_I think she's getting sick,_ his youkai answered him, just as unable to get a good grasp of her scent.

_Feh! We don't need _both _of them sick._

_Of course we don't. Just make sure Miroku takes care of her. She's gonna be his mate anyway, right?_

_Please, those two have been dancing around each other for months now._

_So you're not as dense as I thought you were._

_Shut up. I'm you, remember?_

_I still maintain that I'm the better half._

_Keh, you would._

Dropping the clothes back down to the floor, Inuyasha stood from his crouch and turned to Miroku, his expression fierce.

"You come get me at the first sign she's getting sick," the hanyou demanded roughly.

"You believe she will?" Miroku asked, casting a worried glance at the woman who lay sleeping.

"I don't know," Inuyasha said as he studied Sango. "Her scent is off and I can't figure out why."

Miroku nodded and watched Inuyasha leave the room, closing the door silently behind him as he left. Toeing off his sandals, Miroku slipped onto the futon with Sango, pulling the blankets up over them both. Wrapping Sango in his arms, he cocooned her in the copious folds of his kimono and was surprised when she whimpered and rolled toward him, tucking herself against his chest. Kissing the top of her head, the corners of his mouth tilted up into a faint smile as he listened to her soft contented sigh and he felt her arms slip around him.

"I'm here, Sango," he promised her as he fell asleep with her in his arms.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The watery silver light of the moon filtered in through the window and cast the sleeping girl's face in a myriad of light and dark shadows. Her chest heaved, her breath coming out in rasping gasps, an air of panic rising around her. She whimpered, cried out but didn't wake. A low pitiful whine sounded next to her as a long fingered clawed hand gently wiped the cool beaded sweat from her brow.

White puppy ears covered in short silken fur folded back, flattening against hair so white the beams of moonlight disappeared into it seamlessly. Golden eyes bright with tears too painful to be denied looked down upon the small cold hand held in his own much larger one. Her skin was so pale, so cold that it scared him beyond all measure. A single hand reached out, fingers curled under to hide sharp claws as he drew the backs of his fingers over her delicate cheekbone.

The girl whimpered again, her eyes moving rapidly beneath closed lids. Her breath whistled out of her as she suddenly sat up screaming for him – only for him.

"INUYASHA!!!!"

He didn't see her eyes open as he wrapped her in his arms, her face buried in his chest. Arms that had been limp at her sides lifted slowly and wrapped around him, clutching handfuls of thick silver hair and fire rat fur. Inuyasha grew instantly still when he felt Kagome's hands on his back, in his hair. He pulled away quickly, just far enough to cup her face in his hands. He searched her eyes, the intensity of his stare – his silence unnerving her.

"Inu…yasha?" his name was soft and slow upon her lips, her brow furrowed with a frown of uncertainty.

Kagome gave a soft cry of surprise when he suddenly crushed her against his chest, his arms in a vice grip around her as he clung to her and struggled to get a hold on his emotions.

"Don't you ever, _ever_ scare me like that again," he growled at her, his words fierce but his voice soft and choked with emotion.

Kagome curled closer to him, shivered as she tried to tuck herself seemingly inside his fire rat haori. Inuyasha looked down at the girl curiously, one brow raised in question.

"Wench," he combed his hand into her hair behind her ear when she turned her face up to him, "what are you doing?"

"I'm cold," she whined as she slipped her fingers through the folds of his haori and tugged at the fire rat fur. "And you're so warm."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and made a show of grumbling as he pushed gently on her shoulders and sat her back just enough so that he could undo the knot that held his haori closed. Fully intending to remove the fire rat robe and wrap it around her shoulders, he was caught off guard when she simply scooted forward from where she sat straddling his thighs and tucked herself into his chest as soon as the robe was open.

"Wench," he huffed at her shaking his head both at her and the soft blush that rose quickly to dust his cheeks.

Wrapping the fire rat robe closed around her, enclosing her inside of it against his chest, he dropped his chin to her head and nuzzled her hair. Kagome released a deep sigh and gave a soft hum of contentment as she wrapped her arms around his back tucked, inside of his clothing.

"Inuyasha," Kagome called out to him softly as she tucked her head beneath his chin and nuzzled her cheek against his collarbone.

"Hm?" He stroked her hair, turned his head and rested his cheek on her hair.

"Don't – don't let me fall asleep again," she asked of him her voice tired, timid, almost childlike with fears that were all too real to her, but left unseen to others.

"You need your rest," he argued as he turned and braced his feet against the floor, her body falling to rest on the quickly cooling wood floor between his legs.

Inuyasha moved her to the side, growled low, the sound soothing her as he curled his arm behind her knees and around her back. She tried to cuddle closer to him, and he shushed her, cradling her in his arms as he walked out of their room and down the hall to the enclosed hot spring. Sniffing at the door and knowing without a doubt that the room was empty; he nudged the door open with his foot and set her gently on her feet. Draping his fire rat robe over her shoulders, he turned her to face into the room and backed away, intending to sit outside the room while she soaked in the hot mineral rich waters.

"Go on," he said gently, jerking his chin at the hot spring, the warm moist heat fanning upon them both welcomingly.

Kagome shook her head and backed away from the open door slowly until she was standing in front of him. He looked down at her incredulously as she tucked herself against his chest and arched a black brow.

_Just what the hell is she doing?_

_She's scared baka._

_I know that. But why is she scared? She loves taking baths._

"It's just a bath," he said to her, wrapping his arms around her with a forced sigh.

"Not alone," she said, the words almost a whimper as she kept her pale face hidden from him.

"Why are you crying?" he asked her almost angrily as she turned her face to him, and he curled his finger beneath her chin, tipping her face up to meet her eyes. "What are you afraid of?" he asked her as he brushed away her tears with the pads of his thumbs.

"When I'm alone…" she began slowly, her voice trembling as she leaned into the warm clawed hand that cupped her cheek. "When I'm alone, he's there."

"Who's there?" His barely contained snarl actually comforting her. He was always so quick to defend her – protect her.

"I don't know." She sniffled delicately as she shuffled closer and tucked herself against him. "Just these eyes…these faceless eyes that stare up at me from the water when I'm alone…only when I'm alone…"

Inuyasha breathed in deeply and swept her up into his arms when she shivered and carried her into the bathing chamber, kicking the door closed with his foot. He set her down slowly, her body almost sliding against his until her feet hit the warm stone floor. He could smell her exhaustion, the pull of sleep that beckoned her, still. As much as he was afraid she might fall, he took one step away from her and turned his back.

"Undress," he commanded softly. "When did this – apparition start appearing?" he asked after a long moment, the sound of her clothing shifting, falling off, making his ears twitch.

"A month or two ago, I think," she confessed, hissing at the heat of the water as she slipped into the welcome warmth of the water. "Maybe a little longer."

"Kagome," he turned halfway toward her to see her out of the corner of his eye, "how long has your uncle been back?"

"…almost three months I think," she said, her last words elongating as she yawned.

Stripping off his own clothes and slipping into the water behind the girl, he gathered her into his arms and gave a small little half smile when she gave a soft happy whine and tucked herself into his chest, pillowing her cheek against his pectoral muscle and listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. Kissing her wet hair, he hugged her close and leaned back against the spring's edge behind him.

"Go to sleep, Kagome."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


	8. Battle Lines

*****Chapter 8*****

**~*~*~*Battle Lines*~*~*~**

He stood tall and silent as he stared up at the house he knew so well. He wanted to go inside and talk to his mother and uncle, make certain that they and their guests were alright, but he didn't dare. He had closed the school early on Friday after Shiro's impromptu visit, canceling all after school programs in favor of going to his childhood home and securing his family's safety. The traffic had been so thick that night that the normally two and half hour drive had taken him six. When he had finally gotten to the house though…he could never remember feeling such strong rage as he had the moment he stepped out of his car only to find Shiro's scent around the property and it was barely an hour old. He had spent the next two hours searching his family's grounds as well as the surrounding forests and dirt roads only to find no trace of the man.

He looked down at the silver-grey cell phone in his hand with a sigh. After the fourth phone he'd crushed in his own hand, he'd paid the manufacturer extra to make him a new phone out of titanium. He was a bit surprised that for all this new phone had been through it didn't sport so much as a scratch from his claws. Looking up when he heard the front door open and close, footsteps whisper in the dew dampened leaves, he couldn't help the smile that softened his features.

"Mother," he greeted warmly. "I've missed you."

"Kenji," the woman rushed to her son and held him in a tight embrace smiling when he bent low to kiss her cheek. "I'm so glad you came home," Ayame gushed happily. "Come, let's go inside."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

It was so dark where she was, so cold. She couldn't see anything, no smells; she couldn't taste anything in the air either. She reached out her arms, stretched her fingers to their fullest and turned in all directions – she even knelt down, but aside from the firmness that couldn't really be described as a floor beneath her – there was nothing. In fact, she couldn't even feel anything beneath her feet either; it was more like solid air. Turning this way and that, her eyes widened until they hurt as she strained them to see anything in the darkness.

_'Kagome.'_

"Who's there?" she called out trying not to be frightened by the hissing whisper.

Kagome closed her eyes, tried to calm down, tried to reach out with her power like Kaede had taught her. The only thought in her mind was to find Inuyasha, the desperate need she had to be held within his arms. She knew he wouldn't be here, but somewhere beyond this place…somewhere beyond the darkness.

A burning pain, a slashing fire across her shoulder blade, down her arm caused her to cry out, to scream in pain, in fear. The feel of her blood, hot and thick, tinged with the metallic scent of copper assailed her. The feel of it sliding, running down her arm only to drip slowly and stop in midair as the iridescent purple-pink light of her power gathered from within her blood and flickered horrified and fascinated her.

At first the light of her own power blinded her. As her eyes adjusted she could see a shadow moving around in the darkness beyond the reaches of the light. It frightened her that she couldn't see who or what it was that was moving around her. It scared her even more that as much as her spirit called for Inuyasha, she couldn't feel him anywhere; not even a hint of him. She gasped when she felt another slashing pain, more fire crisscrossing her back as the whispering voice hissed at her, laughed at her.

She fell to her knees as more blood spilled out of her and she cried, her tears spilling down her cheeks. She shook, trembled as she watched the light of her power flicker and dim until it was barely there. She focused on it, not realizing that she was whispering to it, begging it not to leave, not to fade away and leave her lost in the darkness again.

Kagome jumped when she felt a hand brush over her hair almost lovingly. It stopped halfway down the length of her hair in a place that was aligned with the single vertebrae that connected the base of her neck to her shoulders and sat in the upper most point between her shoulder blades. Long fingers tightened in her hair and she could feel the angry scrape of blunted human nails tear at the skin of her neck as the fingers tangled in her hair and suddenly yanked hard, jerking her head so that she was looking over her uninjured shoulder.

Her eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat as she looked into the face of her captor, her attacker.

"Hello Kagome."

"Shiro," she whispered terrified.

Screaming out, Kagome kicked away from him, feeling him release her as her legs connected with his body violently. He laughed at her as she ran, strands of her hair caught in his hand. She had been afraid before but now she was beyond terrified. She felt the same kind of paralyzing terror now that she had felt so many years ago when Shiro had followed her to that center her mother had sent her to after her father's death.

When Kagome believed herself to be far enough away she stopped, falling to her knees as she fought for control over her emotions. Catching her blood in her hand, she spread the red sticky fluid over both palms before folding her hands together as if in prayer and pressing them to her chest.

"You told me you would come to me if I needed you. You promised you would protect me when he couldn't. You promised you would hear me no matter where I was. Please, _please_ help me," she begged unable to staunch the flood of tears that coursed down her cheeks in burning hot rivers, her voice cracking and breaking. "Sesshoumaru please! _Help me!_"

She screamed again, louder more desperate when she was seized from behind, long claw like fingers digging cruelly into the wounds made on her shoulder as she was dragged backwards.

_"SESSHOUMARU!!!!!!!"_

~_~_~_~_~

Beyond her world of darkness, deep in the Western lands a youkai lay sleeping within a mass of delicately crafted silk and fur blankets. The grayish watery sheen of moonlight cast eerie colorless shadows upon him bringing harsh lines to his smooth face. His golden eyes snapped open as he shot up in the futon, his heart beating madly in his chest, one name falling from his lips as a deadly snarl followed close behind.

"Kagome."

Within record time he was dressed, strangely with having no memory of the performing the task. Donning his armor and swords he sped from the castle his eyes flashing between his own bright gold and the fierce crimson of his youkai. He stopped running as his body dissolved into a ball of shimmering light that disappeared through the trees too fast to be seen.

_Hold on for me Kagome, I'm coming for you._

~_~_~_~_~_~

He couldn't decide if he was worried, enraged or both. He and the wolf at his side had been tracking Kagome's scent for days now only to be led to an empty dirt road that was rarely used anymore. He growled low, crouching down and sniffing at the ground before standing and turning his nose into the wind.

Spinning on his heel at the sound of a voice behind him, he came face to face with a human male, a priest or village headman, he wasn't certain which. The man beckoned Ginta and his wolf to follow him through the trees and into the hidden village.

"We have many people here, but only one that you have come to see Guardian. Kagome-sama is within the main house, but beware her mate. The worse her condition becomes, the more vigilant and fierce his protection of her."

Ginta nodded absently to the human as he left the wolf and his canine companion to find Kagome on their own. Kouga had asked, commanded – that he send the wolf back to him once Kagome had been found, but that didn't seem quite right to do. At least not yet…

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Inuyasha once again paced the length of the room, refusing to allow anyone but his own pack inside. It had been two days and three nights since Kagome had last woken. Whatever her dreams were they terrified her. He hated this, hated his inability to protect her from this.

"Inuyasha," she cried out for him in her sleep.

He was at her side with his next breath, kneeling next to her, leaning over her as he held her hand, stroked her face.

"I'm here Kagome. I promise you I'm here, I haven't left you," he assured the sleeping girl as he held her cheek, bidding the heat of his own body to warm hers. "Open your eyes Kagome. Come back to me. _Use that fucking command, I don't care_…just wake up…please," his last entreaty spoken in a painful whisper.

Slipping his arms beneath her knees and around her back he lifted her easily into his arms blankets and all and sat down on the futon, cradling her in his lap. Looking up when he sensed the presence of another youkai standing just outside the door, he gave a low woof and bid the fox kit entrance.

Shippou slipped into the room quietly his head bowed and his bottom lip held between his teeth in his nervousness. He stayed near the door uncertain of whether he should move closer or leave. It seemed so long ago to the young child that they had come to this village – so long ago since Kagome had been awake more than an hour or two at a time.

Peering at the hanyou through the thick fringe of his bangs, he saw Kagome and thought she seemed thinner now than she had before. No matter what Sango had said to the contrary, Shippou couldn't help but wonder if her condition was somehow his fault. After all, wasn't she always giving him her food?

"Come here Shippou," Inuyasha's voice brought the fox child out of his thoughts.

Over the past two days Inuyasha had grown more worried and frightened by Kagome's deteriorating condition, so too had he grown increasingly worried about the kitsune. Miroku had slipped into the room earlier that morning to inform the hanyou over his own worry for the kit. Unbeknownst to the hanyou, Shippou had began withdrawing into himself more and more as Kagome's condition worsened, even going so far as to refuse his food more than once.

"Look at me pup," Inuyasha's voice may have been soft but it left no room for argument.

Shippou looked up at him slowly trying to deny the presence of the tears glistening in his emerald eyes. Inuyasha could both see and smell the exhaustion the kitsune felt.

"What happened to Kagome is not…your…fault," he said the words slowly and seriously as he looked into the child's eyes and studied his body language. "Do you understand me Shippou?"

Inuyasha watched as the child nodded and looked away to study the unconscious woman in his arms as a single tear slipped down his young cheek. In a rare show of tenderness, the hanyou pulled Shippou around to his side and wrapped his arm around the child as the kitsune sniffled and buried his face in the fire rat kimono.

"Shippou what happened to Kagome…none of us could have stopped it or prevented it. None of us knew that danger was there. Shippou," he waited for the fox child to look up at him before he continued, "Kagome's condition has nothing to do with what you did or didn't do. She loves you pup, that's why she shares her food with you. The way she talks about you when we're on her side of the well…you're not 'Shippou the kitsune pup' to her…to her you're 'Shippou her son'. That's where the difference is, that's what makes her do what she does."

Shippou hiccupped as tears overflowed from his eyes and ran in hot rivers down his cheeks. Lifting a hand he stroked Kagome's hair as he leaned heavily against Inuyasha's side.

"Why are you being so nice?" Shippou asked a bit soggily as he dashed the back of his hand across his eyes to wipe away his tears.

"It ain't about bein' nice pup," Inuyasha said as he looked down at Shippou and then at Kagome. "It's about taking care of your pack and knowing what's important."

"Inuyasha…wh – what am I to you?" Shippou asked hiccupping as he tried to stop crying.

"Don't be ashamed of your tears pup," Inuyasha soothed, dislodging the ribbon that held Shippou's hair and gently combing his claws through the sunset red locks. "A wise person told me that tears are a measure of strength. Tears show that you'll be ok."

"Who said that?" Shippou asked as he stared transfixed at Kagome's face.

A half smile lifted the edges of the hanyou's lips as he gave a soft snort of amusement.

"You're looking at her pup…Shippou…as for your question," Inuyasha grew serious as he stared at the door across the room from them. "You're a pup. You're _her_ pup," he tipped his chin at Kagome before looking down at Shippou. "I can't take your old man's place – don't know that I'd make a good father if I tried, but…I'll help you honor him. I'll teach you the things he didn't get a chance to. I'll protect you and train you to protect yourself." His eyes suddenly grew fierce and challenging as he looked down at the youkai pup at his side. "Make no mistake, I ain't gonna go easy on ya and we're still gonna fight. You're still an annoying little runt and a damned pain in my ass..." the steam seemed to run out of him as quickly as it had appeared, "but I meant what I said."

The moment was broken by a knock on the door. It opened as soon as Inuyasha called out to those on the other side only to reveal Ginta standing beside Miroku.

"Inuyasha," Miroku said as he entered the room, the rings on his staff jingling as the wooden staff tapped against the floor with a soft series of thuds. "Ginta has brought news. Rather disturbing news…"

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Blowing out the candle in front of him he stood and moved slowly from within the intricate geometric design he'd drawn on the wooden floor with a mixture of white chalk and dragon's blood ink. The chuckle that sounded from him was dark and malicious, quickly turning into a near hysterical cackle.

"Soon Miko," he promised darkly as he stepped outside into the false light of the city night. "Soon you will die and victory will be mine."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

No matter how many times in the past he had traveled in his energy form, Sesshoumaru could never remember having moved quite _this_ fast. He could make out no solid images, all shapes, colors and objects blending into thin strips of nearly blindingly bright colors that changed too fast to make out. The sounds of the animals, the people, and the world around him combined into one voice, one nauseating buzz and he felt as though he had been removed from time itself.

Nothing else mattered to him as he silently spoke to Kagome in his mind telling her over and over to hold on, to wait for him that he was coming, like a mantra. The words from his father so long ago came back to him in that moment and he finally understood what the great taiyoukai had been trying to tell him. An inu youkai's strength, their power, is never greater than when they have something to protect.

He could feel Kagome calling out for him, her spirit pulling him, dragging him to her as though they were tethered together by a rope. He let the feel of her guide him and before he had realized he was so close he felt himself pass through a powerful barrier.

Materializing in his humanoid form in the middle of the quiet village was disconcerting, more so for the human male that stood before him as though he had anticipated his arrival. Arching a single silver brow Sesshoumaru remained silent as he waited for the man to speak.

"Welcome Guardian," Akira greeted Sesshoumaru with a low formal bow. "The miko is calling her champions to her as she prepares for battle. You are not the fist to arrive."

"For what battle does she prepare?" Sesshoumaru asked curiously.

"Kagome-sama bears the mark, she has been touched by darkness."

Sesshoumaru's eyes flared wide as a low deadly growl spilled forth.

"Come Guardian, time is of the essence."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Far across the stretches of time a woman awoke with a start, her daughter's name sounding from her lips.

"Kina?" Ginta asked, her sudden movement startling him awake. "What is it?'

"I – I don't…" Kina trailed off, her voice as troubled and uncertain as the expression on her face.

_'Mom'_

Kina rose from the bed as her daughter's voice whispered in her mind. The billowing softness of the borrowed sweater she wore covered her to mid thigh, the sleeves falling down to hide her hands even as she pushed them up once more. She walked quietly to the window and placed her hands upon the wooden sill, the cuffs of the sweater hiding all but the tips of her fingers from view as she looked out into the surrounding forest.

_'Mama…Mama I'm scared…'_

A soft rustle of cloth came from the bed behind her followed closely by the whisper of bare feet on the polished wooden floor. She heard his slow deep intake of breath as he stepped up behind her, felt his hands touch her arms low near the elbows to slide lazily up to rest on her shoulders. Dropping a kiss to the crown of her head, his warm breath rustled her soft hair as he rested his chin atop her head.

"What is it Kina?" he asked her, his voice low and soft as though he were afraid to disturb the stillness of the morning.

"Kagome," Kina spoke her daughter's name once more. "She's calling for me…She's scared…"

Ginta watched her reflection in the smooth clear glass of the window. He watched silently as she starred out into the trees beyond as though she believed she could wish her daughter to appear there before her. He saw the worry, the fear, the hopeless desperation she had to be with her child etched upon her face. He could smell the salt of her tears as they formed and gathered in her eyes turning the warm brown depths glassy.

Dropping a kiss to her shoulder near the base of her neck, he gently turned her around and held her hands in his as he slowly walked backwards to sit on the end of the bed. Kina stood between his legs looking into his eyes as he raised one hand to brush his knuckles over the soft skin of her cheek before grasping her hand again.

"I can't take you to her Kina, that's beyond my power. But I can take you to where you'll be more connected to her."

"Please," she begged him as the first crystalline tear fell upon her cheek.

Ginta nodded and raised her right hand, turning it over to kiss her palm.

"Get dressed sweetheart," he told her as he rose from the bed.

Ginta left their room and headed outdoors in search of Ayame and Souta. A smile softened his face as he looked out toward the animal pen to see Souta run over by two large litters of overzealous, entirely too energetic three month old German shepherd and Labrador retriever puppies.

"He's adorable, isn't he?" Ayame asked as she stepped up beside Ginta.

Ginta nodded as he watched the boy laugh and play with the pups. He remembered a time so long ago when the boy playing with the pups had been Kenji and his mind played tricks on him alternating the view in front of him between present and memory.

"Souta's excited to help me train the pups. But you're not out here to hear about that are you?" she asked as she looked up at him.

"No," Ginta said, his eyes and voice serious even as they held a sense of foreboding. "I'm taking Kina to the Bone Eater's Well. Kagome is in danger and is calling out for her mother." Ginta gave a low tired sigh as he drug a calloused hand down over his face. "Ayame…what Kenji said to us earlier about the perceived threat made against Kagome by that man claiming to be her uncle…"

"Shiro you mean?"

"Yeah…I think – I think he's the dark sorcerer. The one that marked Kagome so many years ago."

All at once Ayame's back stiffened, her eyes widened in fury, and Ginta could feel the sudden rage that emanated from her with all the force of a great typhoon.

"She nearly died!" Ayame exclaimed unable to rein in her rapidly escalating temper. "He tormented her for _months!_ And you're telling me that this dark sorcerer is her uncle?!" Ayame railed at him and Ginta found himself thankful that Souta was out of hearing range. "Why are you still here?! Find him and _kill him!_"

Ginta grasped her arms and shook her roughly once as a growl spilled forth demanding in the language of the inu that she calm down. He stared into her eyes fiercely and unwavering.

"Even if I wanted to Ayame, I can't! He is for all intents and purposes _human_. By the taiyoukai's decree passed down _centuries_ ago 'no youkai or hanyou is to harm or take a human life unless that human is a _direct threat_'!"

"He is a direct threat to Kagome!" Ayame growled as tears stung her eyes.

"Kagome isn't youkai, nor is she hanyou," Ginta stated too calmly for Ayame's liking.

"She might as well be!" she argued impassioned.

"But the fact remains that she isn't. I have to go now Ayame. Let me handle this. If in two days you still feel the same way, if we haven't returned – go see the Taiyoukai. You know he'll see you personally. Hell we're all practically family."

Ginta held her close and kissed her cheek before retreating inside the house. Finding Kina waiting for him dressed in her dark denim flares and his white fisherman's sweater that positively billowed around her, he gave her a smile that was equal parts affection and worry.

"Are you ready?" he asked her not surprised that her fear left her silent.

He held out his hand to her palm up when she nodded slowly only once. Sliding her smaller, colder hand into his, she let his warmth, his strength soothe her as he offered her an encouraging smile.

"Let's go Kina."

He led her outside the front door and knelt down telling her to climb onto his back. Holding her like Inuyasha often held Kagome, he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"You'll have to hang on tightly my love. It's faster for me to travel on foot than it is to take the car."

"Go fast Ginta, she can't wait much longer."

Nodding, he sped off, Kina held securely upon his back.

_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

"What the fuck are you doing here bastard?" Inuyasha growled when Sesshoumaru stepped into the room.

"Your mate called for me." Sesshoumaru looked down at the unconscious miko held lovingly in his brother's arms. "How long has she been like this?"

"Too long," Inuyasha snarled. "And what the fuck do you mean she 'called for you'?"

"Do you remember that night so long ago now little brother?" Sesshoumaru challenged Inuyasha. "Before you came for her, I promised her my protection and she _will_ have it."

Sesshoumaru looked around the room at all the others gathered within. Miroku and Sango sat on either side of Inuyasha; Ginta sat in front of the hanyou but off to the side nearest Miroku. The wolf Ginta had brought with him lay directly in front of Inuyasha, her furry head pillowed on the miko's stomach.

"We're ready to begin anytime you are Sesshoumaru-sama," Miroku stated nodding to the empty space left open between Ginta and Sango.

Sesshoumaru sat on the floor and looked to the left of the oddly formed circle they all made to see Kagome's adopted fox kit and the fire neko curled up together asleep.

"Begin monk," Sesshoumaru commanded as his attention returned to Kagome.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


	9. See How We Fight

*****Chapter 9*****

**~*~*~See How We Fight~*~*~**

She closed her eyes, slowed her breath, and buried her fingers into the mixture of dirt, ash, and bone fragments that formed the ground she sat on. She tried to relax, honestly she did; but the task proved to be impossible. Seconds before she opened her eyes she pounded the dirt once with her fist and coughed lightly at the dust her action produced.

"Damnit!" she exclaimed, as tears of frustration stung her eyes and tickled her nose.

"Don't give up, Kina," Ginta soothed her, smoothing his knuckles over her high cheekbones. "She needs you," he encouraged.

"You think I don't know that!" Her outburst ended on a broken whisper, a half sob. "May baby needs me; she called for me, and now…I can't…"

Her head thumped back against the wooden wall that supported and surrounded the dry well where they sat at the bottom. A stray tear ran down her cheek as she closed her tired eyes. Ginta watched her, his brows drawing together in a mix of confusion and irritation. Kina wasn't a quitter, not by any means, so why did it seem that she was willing to give up?

_Her spirit is weak,_ his youkai spoke to him.

_You've been strangely quiet throughout all of this, _Ginta replied. _And what do you mean, 'her spirit is weak'?_

_Her spirit has been weakened by her worry, her fear. Make her forget the fear, help her control the worry. Strengthen her spirit, and don't just encourage her to fight; make her want the fight so bad she can _taste_ it._

_And how do I do that?_ Ginta asked as he watched the slow, silent tears glide down her face, only to linger on her chin before dropping down to dampen the skin covering her collar bone.

_Distract her. Hold her. Love her. Let her know that she won't be fighting alone. Help her find Kagome. Give her the strength she needs to fight._

Ginta nodded silently to his youkai, to himself. Standing up, he walked the few short steps to Kina and knelt down; grasping her hands in a gentle, firm grip he tugged her to her feet. She sniffled back her tears and looked up at him in confusion. Shaking his head, he denied her an answer to the question her eyes asked. Pulling her close, he held her gently as she rested her cheek against his shoulder, and he guided her in a slow moving dance.

"_A hundred days have made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty fa-ace,_" he sang to her softly, his voice a rich, melodic tone caught somewhere between tenor and baritone. "_A thousand lies have made me colder, and I don't think I can look at this the same…All these miles that separate…disappear now when I'm dreamin' of your face…I'm here without you, baby, but you're still on my lonely mind. I think about you, baby, and I dream about you all the time. I'm here without you, baby, but you're still with me in my dreams…and tonight It's just you and me…"_

Ginta let his voice fade out and fall silent as he felt her relax in his arms, feeling the rhythm of her breathing nearing that of sleep. Slowing the movements of their dancing until they came to a natural, gentle stop, he pulled back slightly and cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her forehead.

"You can't give up on her, my love," he told her softly, staring deeply into her eyes. "Let me help you find her, love."

"How?" she asked, searching his eyes for the answer.

The soft, gentle smile, the light brush of his knuckles up across her cheek soothed her, even as it lit a fire deep within her, body and soul.

"As I love you, your spirit will strengthen. Reach out to Kagome, use our connection to heighten yours with her – search for her. As soon as you find her, as soon as you feel her spirit, hold on as tightly as you can. Don't let go, not even for a second."

She nodded silently, and he moved his arms up to wrap around her back.

"Close your eyes, koishii," he whispered, his lips brushing against the delicate shell of her ear, his warm, moist breath tickling the fine hairs within. "Let your spirit soar…"

Her eyes closed upon a sigh, her head falling back only to be supported by one of Ginta's large hands as she released all the tension in her body. A surprised breath was sucked in slowly, softly when she felt him kiss her neck, nibble her collar bone. Moving slowly, taking his time, he left hot, wet, open-mouthed kisses along the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He trailed up her neck sensuously, scraping his fangs against her skin every now and then, soothing the delicate skin with his hot tongue.

A harsh moan tore from her, when he dragged his fangs slowly over her pulse point, once – twice – only to then lap at the skin with the flat of his tongue. She whimpered, begged him for more of the same as she felt her blood thicken in her veins. Tipping her head up with the hand that cradled it, Ginta claimed her lips with his own in a searing kiss that burned her – damned her – and left her wanting more. Catching her and holding her tightly in his arms when she fell boneless against his chest, he rubbed his hands up back, kneading the muscles just below her shoulder blades with claw tipped hands.

Tingles and shivers ravaged her body; electrical tremors swirled and coiled up her spine only to travel down it once again. Fires that had banked slowly suddenly flared madly to life once again, and she gasped, whimpered into the kiss as his tongue slipped inside to play with her own. Her skin felt aflame, and she groaned with the ferocity of the feeling as the muscles below, and deep within, her belly tightened spasmodically. A burning feeling, a liquid heat, deep within her pooled low inside of her, tightening muscles long forgotten after years of being alone, bringing with it a sweet ache that she couldn't seem to help but want more of.

His gentle touches, the soft kisses upon her lips, the nibbling of his fangs on her plump bottom lip, soothed her, calmed the fire within her only to set it ablaze once again – hotter and brighter than before. A dominant, possessive growl sounded from deep within the wolf youkai loving her, the sound filling and echoing in the space surrounding them. Her heartbeat sounded loudly in her ears as the buzzing and tiny tremors that she had felt just beneath her skin from the very first touch of his lips on her skin, suddenly intensified, and she gasped as she felt her soul separate from her body.

Kina felt herself float upwards, drawn by the barely-there whisper of her daughter's voice calling for her. She could feel Ginta clearly, all around her, his youki twining with her spirit to lend her the strength she needed, even as his spirit stayed behind to guard over her as she made this journey.

Ginta knew the very moment her soul separated from her body. Holding her limp body against his own, he slowly lowered them both down to the dirt floor of the dry well.

"Be safe, my love." He spoke the words softly as he looked up to a sky he couldn't see. "Fight well, beloved."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The thick, fathomless darkness that surrounded her seemed to be thinning. She felt the silent tears that had been running down her cheeks gently wiped away by an unseen hand. A warmth, an unmistakable aura wrapped around her. The feel of it soothed her, strengthened her, as she felt her wounds heal and disappear as the aura began to glow brighter and take solid form.

"Mama." Kagome breathed the words as she embraced her mother. "How?" She didn't understand how her mother could be there in her world of darkness.

"You called for me, sweetie," Kina said, tucking Kagome's hair behind her ears.

"Mom, you shouldn't be here," Kagome said, looking around nervously. "You have to go, mom; it's not safe here," she told the older woman desperately.

"No, Kagome, I'm not leaving you," Kina told her. Taking her daughter's hand, she looked into her eyes seriously, a grim determination set in her features. "I'm here to fight beside you, Kagome."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The growl that tore through the quiet room rumbled like thunder and ended in a snarl that was far beyond being described as vicious. Golden eyes flashed with an anger so intense, it robbed him of the ability to be still. Standing quickly, he clutched the girl he held cradled in his arms to his chest and moved away from the others seated in the room.

"Inuyasha?" Sango's eyes followed the hanyou as he moved restlessly across the room.

Sesshoumaru looked disapprovingly on his half brother, stifling the growl building within him before it sounded. He could see the anger, the tension, and the uncontrolled emotions on the hanyou's face. He could hear it all in Inuyasha's constant, steady growls that were almost too low for the humans to hear. But, more than that, was the fear: the almost shame he could smell in his brother's scent.

Sesshoumaru moved quietly; the only sound he made was the soft rustling of his silken clothing. Standing slowly, his movements fluid – graceful – he walked to stand before his agitated younger brother.

"Walk with me, Inuyasha," he said, the request clearly not optional.

Inuyasha took a half step back, twisting his upper body away from his brother as he tried to shield Kagome.

"I bring no threat to your mate," he said, following his brother to the far corner of the large room. "You're doing her no good by resisting the meditation."

"It's fucking pointless," the hanyou growled, clutching the woman in his arms tighter against his chest.

"It is the only way to reach her, Inuyasha. Through this meditation – this spell – we will be able to join her, wherever her spirit may be."

"I can't fight the son of a bitch. Damn monk made that perfectly clear," he growled angrily.

"And he was right. But simply because you cannot fight the dark sorcerer directly, does not mean that you cannot help her fight him. She needs you there to support her in this fight, Inuyasha. As she is your strength, so too, are you hers. What are you looking for?" Sesshoumaru asked, having watched his brother look back and forth between Kagome and the lengthening shadows of the late day sun outside the window beside which they were standing.

"Tonight…"

Inuyasha let the word hang in the air unexplained as he looked down at the girl cradled in his arms. The later the day grew, the more irritated and anxious he became. He was already having trouble, the headache that came from the weakening senses. He sniffed at Kagome, trying to do so unnoticeably, wanting to get more of her scent before it was gone from him completely.

"_Damnit!_ I'm pretty sure I know the bastard who's doing this to her. I should just go back and kill him!" he snarled darkly.

Sesshoumaru gave a fierce and quick warning growl to the hanyou, the inu command understood instantly as his eyes flashed angrily.

"You must neither harm nor kill the sorcerer until your miko has won her fight against him."

"Mind telling me why?" Inuyasha asked, wanting desperately to sink his teeth into something.

"Their lives are bound. Whatever happens to the sorcerer will happen to your mate."

Inuyasha suddenly felt cold as fear, anger, and disbelief gripped his heart with a single unforgiving hand. He felt as though the floor had been ripped out from underneath him and wished for this whole mess to be over so that he could finally get his hands on Shiro.

"Is the reverse true?" he asked quietly.

"In my experience? No."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The jar of pickled diakon radish pieces fell from his hand, slack from the sudden shock of pain in his chest. The jar landed hard, upturned on its metal lid, the glass cracking. Jagged lines appeared and spread quickly throughout the glass like wild climbing vines, creating a haphazard spider web type pattern. Seconds later, the cracked glass shattered apart, spiced vinegar splashing on his polished black shoes.

_'The bitch is trying to fight me.'_

Stepping carefully over the slippery mess, Shiro made his way quickly to the rear door of the old grocery store and exited into the alley. He ignored the aproned teenager that reprimanded him for using the employee entrance, and moving with precise, calculated steps, he stepped onto the sidewalk behind the store. Fishing the small, six-button, black rectangular remote start and security key from the pocket of his midnight blue trousers, he pushed a series of buttons and listened to the tell-tale beep as his black imported Infinity Coupe roared to life. Sliding behind the wheel, he gripped the always polished steering wheel and shifted into gear before turning on to the empty street.

_'So, the little girl wants to fight me, does she? Well, I'll show her what a real fight is.'_

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

"_Don't touch her!_" Kagome screamed, tears stinging her eyes.

She ran at Shiro, knocking him away from her mother, and catching the woman as she fell. The tears that had been stinging her eyes fell as she looked down on her mother, the woman's blouse singed from where Shiro had pressed his hand against her chest. A harsh, aching sob tore from Kagome as the woman in her arms fell limp.

"You couldn't protect your father, either." Shiro's words were angry, gloating, as he stood over Kagome arrogantly. "You're a failure to them both, and a shame to your family."

_"Kagome, I'm fine!" _Kina called out, her daughter seemed so far away from her now. _"I'm over here, Kagome!"_

A hand touched her shoulder from behind and it was all Kina could do not to scream. A tall youkai with long silver hair flowing down his back and golden eyes – Inuyasha's eyes – stepped up to her side. He was dressed so finely, the kimono he wore was the fanciest she had ever seen.

"She is beyond your reach now, Mother." The youkai spoke so formally and it was then that Kina noticed the magenta crests on his cheeks. "This battle will not be easy. She must be able to see through the illusions he creates and find the truth."

"She's terrified of him," Kina said, her eyes locked on her daughter and her treacherous brother. "She tried to tell me so many times, but I never understood."

"Not your fault," a familiar voice said, approaching from behind her.

"Inuyasha," Kina spoke his name, so glad that he was there, "who?" she asked, looking around at all those who had come in support of her daughter.

"My brother, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha said, and introduced Miroku and Sango, each nodding in turn when their names were spoken.

Kina gasped, her eyes opening wide, and stepped quickly toward the wolf youkai that moved into view, standing just behind Inuyasha. She spoke his name, her voice trembling, seconds before she embraced him.

"You came!" Her voice shook, a choked whimper highlighting the hope and relieved gratitude in her words.

Her hand touched his face, the others that had come for Kagome watching with wide eyes. Ginta looked down at the woman, his arms that had wrapped around her from the moment she embraced him, tightened around her in a protective embrace. He could smell her – smell his scent upon her – and he knew what he was to her. He knew what she would become to him.

Ginta looked deeply into her eyes, read her soul. "I will wait for you," he promised her, before kissing her lips. "We must help Kagome fight," he said, and they stepped away from each other together.

_**"NO!"**_

The group turned as one at the sound of Kagome's panicked, heartbroken scream. She was on her knees, a cluster of tall stone spikes in front of her, a few stained with blood; when they looked up it was to find Inuyasha's lifeless body impaled upon them.

"You did this!" Shiro laughed at her, doing his damned best to break her.

"No!" she sobbed, folding herself over, the backs of her hands pressed against her knees, her face buried in her palms.

They all stood watching as the kodotama necklace glowed and the illusion of Inuyasha was tugged down further on the spikes. Kagome screamed again, the agony of her sobs tugging at the hearts of her collected family that stood watching, unable to pass through the invisible barrier that kept them separated from her.

"No!" Kagome shook her head, unable to truly believe what she was seeing. "I didn't say it!" she cried out to the lifeless body on the spikes. "I didn't say it, Inuyasha! I promise I didn't!" Her words were broken by whimpers and violent sobs.

"You're the only one who can use that spell, Kagome," Shiro reminded her, sounding at once both angry and victorious. "You killed him! You killed Inuyasha!"

"No!" she cried, her tears clawing at her, hurting her.

"Yes!" he crowed, laughing at her pain, her grief.

"No!" Inuyasha snarled, his voice dangerous – deadly.

He didn't know when it had happened, but by the time he realized he had broken through the invisible barrier Inuyasha was already halfway to her. He wanted to attack Shiro, kill him for what he was doing to Kagome but knew that he couldn't – at least not here. Stepping over to Kagome's huddled form, he grabbed her by the arms – just below her shoulders – and hauled her to her feet.

The touch of Inuyasha's hands on her broke the illusion in front of her, the image of the dead and impaled Inuyasha bursting into a fine sparkling dust. She couldn't stop the tears, couldn't quiet the all-consuming fear and grief that constricted her heart. Kagome tried to stand on her own, but her legs wouldn't hold her, and she fell heavily against Inuyasha. She searched his eyes through the watery haze of tears, begging silently for it to truly be him standing in front of her.

"Kaguya's castle," he whispered in her ear, knowing she would understand.

A half laugh-half sob sounded from her as she surged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding tightly to him, her face buried in his chest. Shiro screamed, growled when he felt his hold on Kagome weakening. The harder he tried to separate her from Inuyasha, the stronger her resistance became. Shiro roared his anger when Inuyasha lifted Kagome into his arms and carried her to her group of supporters. Setting Kagome on her feet, Inuyasha kept her tucked against his side as their friends and family formed a protective circle around them.

"You…will…be…_MINE!_" Shiro panted, struggling against Kagome's renewed strength.

"No!" Kagome screamed, frightened, when she was pulled backwards by an unseen force.

"Ka-GOME!" Inuyasha roared, reaching out for the girl as she reached out for him.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome cried out for him; her tears – crystalline drops – suspended in the air as she flew backwards. "I love you!" she half whispered, the hanyou hearing every word.

It happened so slowly, yet almost too fast to comprehend. Kagome's declaration of love for the hanyou seemed to stop time. All things were frozen for one moment – then two.

A bright pink-white light lit Kagome from within, illuminating the space they were in with blinding brightness seconds before disappearing back into Kagome's body and exploding once more throughout the space. Her body felt alive, on fire, and more energized than she could ever remember it having been. Shiro's mouth opened in a silent scream, his face twisted in malignant rage. A ribbon of pure iridescent rose shined out from Kagome's heart, twisting around and becoming one with the ribbon of red light that emitted from Inuyasha.

A deafening roar, a piercing scream sounded from Shiro as his body twisted in on itself, deforming hideously, seconds before he exploded. Black dust and grotesquely dark purple orbs of light burst out in all directions with the force of a supernova as Kagome was flung into Inuyasha's arms. All those present were thrown from that world of darkness with all the power and energy of a lightning strike.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

It was so dark now, much colder than the day had been. Ginta sat in the bottom of the dry well watching over Kina as she lay still as death on the packed dirt floor. He closed his eyes and dragged his hand through his two-tone hair, praying for her safety. A harsh gasp whistled in her throat, and Kina jerked upright, Ginta's name on her lips.

"I'm here, my love," Ginta said, striking a match to light the pile of kindling near them.

The bright red orange glow of the fire was a shock in the darkness, and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust. Her gaze settled on Ginta's form, and she leaned to one side, pulling her legs up and sliding them underneath her as she moved to stand on her knees. Reaching out to the wolf youkai, she happily let him drag her into his arms, his lap, and straddled his thighs. Kina leaned up, bent over him as she stood on her knees and looked down into Ginta's eyes, her small hands framing his face, feeling his growing stubble beneath her palms.

"You were there," she told him, shivering pleasantly when he slid his hands up her back, beneath the sweater she wore, his palms hot against her smooth skin.

"I remember," he said, smiling up at her. "It's where we first met."

She breathed in deeply, a familiar heat spreading through her, making her lethargic even as it energized her. Ginta drew in a slow, deep breath, taking in her changing, darkening scent as she stroked his stubble-roughened cheek with the backs of her bent fingers and lowered herself to sit on his lap. She kissed his forehead, his eyes and nose. Pulling back, she looked deeply into his eyes, her own glazed with desire.

"Make love to me, Ginta."

He growled hungrily – possessively – at her, smiling when her scent spiked with the heady spice of her arousal. His hands still nestled against the bare skin of her back – buried beneath his sweater she wore – slid up, his claws trailing against her sensitive skin. Kina whimpered, groaned when he lifted the sweater up and over her head, tossed it to the ground beside them. She wasn't sure if it was the cold air, Ginta's ministrations to her body, or a combination of them both that caused her nipples to tighten almost painfully, and she whimpered when she felt him release the rear clasp of her bra.

With the shoulder straps of her bra beneath the pads of his fingertips, he slid the stretchy ribbon-like material down her shoulders and over her arms, letting the feather touch of his claws trail over her delicate flesh. He growled appreciatively when she whimpered, her head falling back to expose her tender throat. Tossing her black satin bra aside, it landed carelessly on of the discarded sweater.

A half groan-half whimper sounded from Kina when Ginta's hot tongue dragged over the pulse point of her jugular, his hand combing into her hair to cradle her head, seconds before he claimed her lips in a searing kiss. His arm wrapped around her back, supporting her as he leaned into her, and laid her down on the well floor, his body covering hers.

"Forever, Kina," he whispered to her, his voice raw as he repeated to her his promise from years past.

"Forever."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Sesshoumaru was the first to awaken from the meditation. Blinking quickly as his eyes adjusted to the ambient light from the lit oil lamps decorating the corners of the room, his gaze landed on his brother and he stilled. Devoid of claw and fang, hair a rich, dark black, he understood now his brother's anxiety from earlier.

The wolf lying within the center of the loose circle formed by Kagome's pack lifted her head from where it rested on the miko's stomach and gave a low whine. Her long, flat, pink tongue slipped out, and she licked Kagome's face, washing away the salt of the girl's drying tears. Sesshoumaru leaned forward, watching intently as Kagome's eyes opened, and she whimpered, fresh tears blurring her unsteady vision.

"Hush, miko," Sesshoumaru said softly as he brushed the tears from the edge of her eye with the knuckle of a bent finger. "You're safe now," he told her when their eyes met. "Look up, Kagome. Look at who's holding you," he instructed her, seeing the misery and grief in her eyes.

Kagome turned her head and gasped when she met the expressive brown eyes of Inuyasha. He bent down over her, cupping her damp cheek in his palm, and smoothed away her tears with his thumb. He could feel her trying to sit up, but she was too weak to perform the action. Encouraging her to lie back, to rest, he watched as she blinked tiredly up at him, dark shadows in and under her eyes.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, for a moment wishing, praying that he hadn't truly been there in that place of darkness with her. No matter that he was there with her now, alive and human for the night, all she could see was him as a hanyou – impaled on stone spikes. She could still see his blood running down the rough stone and knew – whether it was an illusion or not – that his death had been her fault.

"No." Inuyasha's voice was soft yet forceful.

Tilting her up, leaning her body against his chest, he tucked her head beneath his chin and hugged her close. Inuyasha watched as Miroku helped an unsteady Sango to her feet and guided her over to where Kirara and Shippou were curled up together, asleep. Watching silently as Miroku sat down on the floor, his back against the wall, and tucked a nearly sleeping Sango into his arms, Inuyasha found his concern for the taijya muted by his worry for Kagome.

He looked down at the girl he held tucked against his chest, saw the tears that slipped silently down her cheeks, and hugged her tighter as his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Kagome, we were there with you. We saw what you saw," Inuyasha told her, hearing her sniffle back her tears.

A pitiful sob sounded from the girl in his arms, her voice clogged by the tears she cried when she spoke to him.

"I didn't say it, Inuyasha," she told him, her voice trembling.

His reaction was immediate, almost violent, yet he was still so gentle with her. Setting her back from him slightly, he framed her face in his hands, challenging her as he locked eyes with her.

"You didn't kill me, Kagome! I'm fine! I'm right here!" he growled at her, watching as her exhaustion and the memories of the battle for her soul weakened her even more.

She whimpered, choked on her tears, angry that he didn't seem to understand her upset. Didn't he get it? In the end, it didn't matter that she didn't say the command – didn't use the spell – it was _her spell_. She was the only one who _could_ use it, therefore, she had killed him.

"You didn't do anything, Kagome," Inuyasha told her, smoothing away her tears with his thumbs.

"It was _my spell!_" she yelled, her voice too weak to be very loud.

"_No!_ It was _his!_" Inuyasha snarled. "Why are you so insistent that that damned _illusion _was your fault?" he asked forcefully, searching her eyes for the answer.

She closed her eyes, tears escaping between her lashes and shook her head before opening her eyes and looking into Inuyasha's. Her voice trembled, full of misery and grief when she spoke.

"Of all the times I've – I've s-sat you –"

"You've never hurt me," he cut in quickly, "not once. Pissed me off and annoyed the hell out of me, sure. But you've never hurt me."

Her eyes begged him not to be lying to her. Closing the short distance between them, he kissed her damp, trembling lips, tasting the lingering salt from her tears. Kissing her cheeks and eyes, he sipped away her still falling tears, before tucking her into his arms once more and cradling her against his chest.

"Go to sleep, Kagome," Inuyasha soothed her.

Sesshoumaru and Ginta sat watching Inuyasha and the girl in his arms. Kagome's eyes blinked slowly, heavily, as she raised a fisted hand to rub her eye. Her fingers unfurled slowly, almost lazily, before she laid her open palm in the curve of Inuyasha's bent elbow. Nuzzling her face deeper into the folds of his fore rat robe, Kagome's eyes closed, a soft sigh sounding from her as she let sleep claim her at last.

"What was that with you and Kagome's mother?" Inuyasha asked Ginta.

"Couldn't you smell her, Inuyasha?" Ginta asked him. "She bore my scent. She is, or will be, my mate."

Surprise lighting his tired eyes, Inuyasha simply raised a black brow in question before turning his head and resting his cheek on Kagome's hair.

"Sleep, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru commanded his voice low and soft. "I will guard you this night."

Suspicious of his brother's intentions, but too tired to argue, Inuyasha let his eyes fall closed and was asleep within seconds.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

He screamed, he yelled, he beat the hard cold floor he sat upon; his rage was all-consuming. He'd had her right where he'd wanted her, seconds away from breaking her spirit completely, and that damned hanyou had interfered _again_. Kagome had won the fight, but only because of the hanyou's presence.

"Perhaps it is time for more conventional means," Shiro said, walking to the desk across the room. Opening the top drawer, usually used for writing tools and the like, he withdrew a heavy, black metal, nine millimeter hand gun and pulled back the top slide to check the chamber, before checking the magazine and snapping it back into the gun's stock. "Let's see her fight this."

~*~*A.N.~*~*

Here Without You by Three Doors Down, originally released on their 2002 album, Away From the Sun


	10. Haunted

*****Chapter 10*****

**~*~*~*Haunted*~*~*~**

The darkness of the night was being chased away by the subtle light of the predawn sky. The long shadows began to shorten; the stark black of the room faded into colorless shadows as those within waited for the comforting warmth and familiar gold of the brilliant sunlight to make its appearance. The shoji door of the room opened slowly, the darkness of the hallway contrasting with the myriad shades of shadows in the room, casting the figure standing in the doorway into an eerie black featureless outline.

Across the room, near the lightly covered window, sat a lone figure, his white hair gleaming in the ambient light and shining out as though a beacon for lost souls. White puppy ears swiveled back and forth, alert for new sounds and possible threats. Nose twitching as scents, new and familiar, were identified; the sword encased in its magnolia wood sheath that leaned against his shoulder was set aside on the floor as golden eyes opened.

The soft click of claws on the hardwood floor drew the hanyou's attention and he watched as the thickly coated wolf bitch trotted across the room to the girl who lay sleeping in the wide patch of blue light from the window. Lying down on the floor, the wolf nuzzled her way beneath Inuyasha's fire rat haori that blanketed the girl. Her nose reappeared by the girl's cheek, her tail the only bit of the wolf left uncovered by the hanyou's kimono.

"Inuyasha," Ginta greeted as he slowly stepped through the doorway and into the room.

The hanyou nodded his greeting as he stood and glanced down at Kagome and the wolf. Ginta's eyes followed Inuyasha's, and he moved slowly to kneel beside the girl's outstretched arm, her head pillowed on her bicep. Reaching out a hand, he tucked her hair gently behind her rounded ear and, ever so slowly, stroked his bent knuckles down over her sleep-warmed cheek.

A warning growl from Inuyasha sounded when Ginta lingered too long over Kagome for his liking. The wolf youkai offered up a sheepish half-grin and rose from where he had been crouching. Keeping his eyes on the sleeping miko, he moved to stand beside the hanyou.

"The wolf is for Kagome," Ginta told Inuyasha. "Kia bonded with her and wishes to stay by Kagome's side. There was no reason for me to deny her request."

Inuyasha nodded but remained silent. Narrowing his piercing golden gaze on the wolf, he sniffed the air and stared at the hidden form of the canine intently.

"That wolf is pregnant," Inuyasha stated before turning his eyes on Ginta. "Should she be this far away from her pack?"

"Kia has always preferred to be by my side rather than run with the pack. She's been that way ever since she was a pup. She's a good wolf," Ginta assured his friend. "She's loyal and protective, and she's quite fond of Kagome and her pup."

"You're leaving then?" Inuyasha asked as he watched the fire rat cloth that covered Kagome move as the girl curled her arm around the wolf lying next to her.

"From what Kanaye told me, Sesshoumaru intends to hunt down Akira-sama – "

"That I do wolf," Sesshoumaru said as he stepped into the room and over to Kagome. "You are not to interfere." Kneeling down next to Kagome, he touched her face. "You intend to go after the human," the taiyoukai stated, his brow furrowed as he touched the backs of his fingers to Kagome's neck.

Issuing a short, low, commanding growl, Inuyasha looked at his brother who was still bent over Kagome.

"Your miko is fevered," Sesshoumaru stated as he flicked his eyes down at the wolf lying beside Kagome, her thick tail thumping lightly on the floor.

"Yeah, I know," the hanyou affirmed. "The healer thinks it's just from the stress of everything."

His left ear twitched, in agitation or concern, he wasn't certain which. Looking down at Kagome, watching as she slept now and knowing without any doubt in his mind that in a few hours she would once again wake from nightmares of her ordeal; once again she would call for him in her sleep as tears slipped from her eyes. He knew this would occur, just as he knew he needed the air to breathe and the water to drink. He only prayed that this time, this time she got more rest than she had any of the previous times.

"But you don't," Sesshoumaru stated, his piercing gaze demanding an answer.

"She's still having trouble keeping food down, and she's only sleeping because of the healer's potions…" Inuyasha trailed off, watching Kagome as she whimpered and jerked, her eyes opening and searching, even as her mind seemed to stay asleep. "I'm here, Kagome," he assured her, touching his hand to her exposed calf.

They all watched as Kagome, half asleep and nowhere near alert, struggled weakly to her hands and knees, the fire rat cloth slipping down over her still too-thin body to pool on the floor beneath her. Taking shaking half-steps, she crawled unsteadily to Inuyasha's side. Panting her exhaustion, she whimpered gratefully when the hanyou caught her as she fell and dragged her gently into his lap. Curling up against his chest, the hanyou held her cradled against his body, wrapped securely in his arms; Kagome nuzzled her cheek against the hardness of his collarbone.

"Go to sleep, Kagome," Inuyasha soothed her, one hand stroking her hair.

Sighing softly at the comfort his embrace gave to her, Kagome closed her eyes and felt herself sink weightlessly back down into the world of sleep. The door to the room opened once more and the hanyou stifled an irritated growl. Kirara scampered into the room without a sound; bounding to the center; she stopped and turned toward the doorway, watching intently as Miroku stepped inside carrying a sleeping Sango in his arms. Nodding to the others in the room, the monk moved over to Inuyasha and sat down slowly on the hanyou's left side, cradling Sango in his lap.

"She's still sleeping?" Inuyasha asked gruffly, a bit worried.

"Yes. That's why I've come to speak with you," Miroku said, looking down as Sango shifted in his arms and nuzzled her face deeper into the folds of his robes. "I found her outside earlier. At first, I thought she was sleep walking…"

_Something was missing. That was the only thought in Miroku's mind as his violet eyes opened and he blinked in the darkness. Lifting a hand to drag down over his face, the monk closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Taking in a sudden, sharp breath, he sat up quickly and searched the darkness almost madly. He knew what was missing…_Sango_._

_Shivering as a cold, bitter wind blew over him, the monk's eyes darted to the shoji door that led outside the house they stayed in, and saw that it stood open just enough for someone to have slipped in – or out. _

'She's outside?' _Miroku stood quickly, wrapping his outer robe around his shoulders and torso before stepping out into the night. _'Kami, it's freezing out here! How can she be out here in just her sleeping robe?'

_Wincing slightly as his bare feet stepped down onto the grass, frozen stiff from the dew and bitter cold wind, he nearly slipped, steadying himself against the knee-high platform of the wooden house before moving forward haltingly. He couldn't help but wonder what had brought the taijya out into the cold, away from the comfort of his arms. _'It's going to snow soon,'_ he thought absently as he searched the darkness for her, the starlight not helpful to his sight. As much as he enjoyed holding her body against his at night, he found it odd that Sango kept searching him out in her sleep. She seemed more and more frightened by her dreams and sought out comfort and safety from him as she slept. _'Now, if only she would be that willing to come into my arms when she was awake, too.'

_Hissing as he stepped on a rather sharp rock, Miroku looked up to see Sango ahead of him in the darkness. She stood near a once full maple tree, it's leaves fluttering to the ground and dancing around her body in the cold wind. She was turned slightly away from him, and though he couldn't see much of her face, he could see her jaw moving rhythmically telling him that she was talking to someone…but no one was there._

_"Sango!"_

_There was no indication that the woman had heard him call her name, not even a tensing of her body to denote she'd even sensed his presence. He opened his mouth, narrowing his eyes and called to her again, but the wind whipped his words back in his face. He walked closer, struggling against the frigid wind and shivered violently. A growl sounded next to him and he soon felt Kirara's large, warm body lean against his own, her thick silken fur a blessing in the biting cold. The wind picked up again, and he almost missed hearing the feline's mournful growling moan._

_"I know, Kirara," he commiserated as he walked next to the fire neko, as they both moved closer to Sango._

_For some reason, it felt to him that Sango was beyond his reach no matter how close to her he got. The wind changed suddenly, whirling around the monk's body with the force of a great tornado before pushing forcefully at his back, nearly throwing him into Sango. His brow furrowed as he caught only half of what she said to him, but it was enough._

_"Sango!" Miroku called to her again as he reached out to her. "There's no one there!" he called to her over the roar of the furious wind. "Kohaku isn't there!"_

_The moment his hand touched her shoulder the insanely strong wind vanished, causing them both to fall to the ground. Miroku caught Sango in his arms and rolled, taking the brunt of the impact with the frozen earth below. The woman he held was stunned momentarily and lay still against his chest before turning her head to look up at the monk pillowing her._

_Grimacing inwardly at the tears and confusion he saw in Sango's eyes, Miroku lifted his cursed hand and cupped her cheek in his beaded palm. He waited silently, chaffing her cheekbone gently with the smooth pad of his thumb as she haltingly, brokenly spoke to him. He was patient as she told her tale, waiting until she was finished and had grown silent before tipping her face down and pressing a kiss to her brow._

_"There was no one there, Sango," Miroku said, hushing her gently when she attempted to protest. "I sensed no youkai or oni, no spiritual powers, nor a spirit – human or otherwise. There was no one there with you, Sango." He spoke softly to her, petted her dark hair and encouraged her to rest her tired head on his chest. Tipping his head, he kissed her head and tucked her dark locks behind her ear. "Sango…you told me that Kohaku was there with you, you even told me that you spoke with him, but you never told me what he said to you."_

_Sango knew what the monk was asking of her, but she wasn't certain she could answer him. Giving voice to the words her brother had spoken to her – repeating his request aloud to another – would that make it more real to her? Would the pain of his request be her final undoing? In the end, the woman lying atop the monk, taking comfort in his embrace, gave voice to the conversation she had had with her brother._

_Nuzzling her cheek against his chest, Sango took solace in the steady beat of his heart thrumming below her ear. "Kohaku kept telling me that he was tired," she said slowly, twisting her fingers in the folds of his robes. "He said he had to be careful, that Naraku didn't know he had all of his memories."_

_Sango grew silent, tears slipping soundlessly from the corners of her eyes, some rolling down to fall over the bridge of her nose to pool with the others as they gathered beneath her temple and dampened Miroku's robes. Hearing the soft, gasping breaths as the taijya struggled to keep her tears silent, Miroku tightened his arms around her, feeling unnervingly helpless in the face of her despair. He knew – could sense – that there was more to the story than what she'd already told him; he could feel her hesitation to speak as more tears soaked through his robes to dampen the skin of his chest._

_He wanted to comfort her, wanted to tell her that he loved her and would always be there by her side, but the words wouldn't come, and in the end he remained silent, holding her and letting his actions tell her what his voice couldn't. Moving, shifting slowly, haltingly, Sango lifted her head, sniffling back her tears and looked down into Miroku's violet eyes. His eyes searched hers, and when she bent her head and kissed his lips, he knew what she was asking._

_"No," Miroku refused her gently, hating the hurt he saw in her eyes. He encouraged her to lie back down on his chest, stroking her hair when she tucked her head beneath his chin once more. "I love you, Sango," he told her fervently, hushing her when she tried to lift up to look in his face – to see his eyes. "And someday, when you're truly ready to accept me in that manner, I will love you until the sun comes up and until it goes down again." He kissed her hair, rubbed her back. "You're not ready to accept me like that yet, beautiful Sango. You're seeking comfort, and while I understand that feeling – that need – I _won't_ take advantage of you like that. I love you too much to do that to you, koishii."_

_The woman in his arms shook, trembled, one hand fisting in his robes and pressing against her mouth as tears overcame her. It may have taken her a long time to admit her love for the lecherous monk, but Sango had never loved him more than in that moment. Haltingly, her voice and body trembling, Sango told Miroku of the request her brother had made. She repeated Kohaku's words to her; told the monk of her brother's request to be allowed to return to the world of the dead – to finally, truly rest in peace._

_Closing his eyes against the sorrow he felt for his love, Miroku encouraged her to rest – to sleep – promising to take care of her. He stroked her hair, rubbed her back, and whispered to her words of comfort that escaped his memory moments later. Kissing her hair, he let his head fall back into the pillowing soft grasses he laid upon – warmed from their body heat – and waited until Sango was deeply asleep before rolling onto his side and laying her gently in the grass, careful not to wake her. Kneeling next to her, he lifted the woman into his arms and carried her inside, taking her to see Inuyasha._

The hanyou snarled, startling the monk who had finished telling his tale. Golden eyes flashed red for a single instant; his puppy ears flat against his head as his lip curled up and revealed a deadly white fang. Inuyasha couldn't believe that Naraku was messing with Sango like this; he highly doubted that the boy would be able to contact his sister on his own, especially without Naraku knowing. More than likely, it was another attempt of the vile hanyou's to destroy his pack. It was one thing for his pack to stand beside him and face down one of Naraku's incarnations in battle. Inuyasha's ears twitched, folding back and flattening against his head only to spring forward and twitch again. It was _quite_ another thing for that damned _monster_ to attack the female's of his pack through subterfuge and deceit, turning their own hearts and minds against them.

Inuyasha wasn't aware that he'd been growling – snarling – so fiercely. He didn't know that his eyes had turned red – pupils teal – and were flashing angrily, the light of his youki flashing menacingly within them. He couldn't see the jagged purple streaks that had appeared on his cheeks; the sight of them bringing caution and fear into the minds of those in the room with him. He could sense both his brother and Ginta tensing as if ready for battle, the movements – directed at him – enraging him even more. A soft, cool hand, slowly gaining warmth, brushed up over his jaw to cup his cheek with its palm.

"Stay with me, Inuyasha," Kagome's tired voice called to him softly. "Come back to me."

The girl in his lap moved, shifted, her soft warm lips pressing to the corner of his mouth in a gentle kiss. That chaste kiss, meant to calm him, a repeat of the one that had taken place in Kaguya's castle, wasn't nearly enough for the man or beast. Turning his head slightly, the hanyou growled as he captured Kagome's lips in a passionate, all-consuming kiss.

The girl in his arms whimpered, groaned as strong, sharply clawed hands sunk deep into her thick tresses, fingertips massaging her scalp. One small hand fisted in his haori, the other – still cupping his cheek – lifted up to stroke the delicate, fine hairs at the base of one puppy ear; the appendage drooped in pleasure. The growl that issued forth was one born of pure pleasure.

Pulling back, the miko watched as the jagged purple streaks faded from his cheeks and the red light of his youkai blood dimmed from his eyes leaving behind the shimmering gold that Kagome knew and loved so well. Sliding her hand against his, aligning their fingers, her palm pressed loose and flat against his, she studied how small and delicate her hand was compared to his. Slowly sliding her hand further up his own, her eyes met his and the hanyou gasped, golden eyes widening when her delicate skin brushed along the tips of his razor sharp claws so trustingly. Folding her fingers down over the tops of his claws, she gripped the tops of his fingers between her warm palm and soft fingertips; feeling the tips of his claws making small indentations in her skin without ever breaking the delicate flesh.

Looking deeply into his golden eyes, her own melted chocolate orbs as warm and open as they were serious and compelling, she spoke.

"I trust you."

She placed her palm over his heart. "Human."

Raising the hand from his heart, she rubbed the base of his left ear, smiling softly at the feel of the silken fur beneath her fingers. "Hanyou."

The hand holding his claws tightened. "Youkai."

She watched his eyes widen in shock, in awe, as she lifted both hands to cup his face and tilted his head down to kiss his brow. "I've always trusted you, Inuyasha," she whispered to him.

Kagome gasped her surprise at the sudden crushing strength of his arms holding her tightly to his chest. Inuyasha buried his face in her neck, breathing in deeply of her scent and feeling her arms wrap around his back to stroke his hair as she returned his embrace. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve a woman like Kagome, but he would protect her and he would cherish her with his last dying breath. In doing so, he hoped that she would never stop loving him.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The dull whir and blip of sirens was distorted and echoed off concrete walls and support columns of the second basement level of the underground parking garage. Red and blue lights flashed and rotated off walls, cars and signs, illuminating dark shadows even as they cast harsh lines on the skin and clothing of the men and women mulling about. Radios chirped, voices – nasal and hollow – sounded over and through the static as car doors opened and slammed shut.

An older man in a dark tan suit and black trench coat, both two years too old to be fashionable, stepped toward a uniformed officer who looked to be fresh out of the academy. Flipping open the single fold, leather book, the man flashed a gold shield and ID proclaiming him to be a homicide detective. The young man nodded and lifted the yellow police tape, permitting the man entrance to the crime scene behind him.

"Detective," the young officer spoke up, his voice surprisingly deep, "Special Agents McFadden and Linden are here. They said to inform you specifically."

"What are the Feds doing here?" the detective grumbled, confused. _Wasn't this just your average 'body found in car'? _

"John." The detective turned as his name was called. "Come over here, will you?"

Detective John Belfry nodded to a man he'd known since high school: Special Agent Michael Linden. Running his hand through his thick, salt and pepper hair, John pocketed his credentials and stepped over to the car beside which the man stood. The senior detective of the Butte, Montana Police Department waited as Special Agent Linden from the Special Investigative Unit opened the trunk lid of the '94 Volkswagen Jetta.

"Tell me that isn't who I think it is," Agent Linden demanded of his friend.

"God, _no_," John gasped and nearly whimpered when he looked at the discolored face of the woman lying bound and dead in the trunk. "That's her, Mike," his voice choked and breathy. "That's Patricia Higurashi."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

She groaned, whimpered in abject misery, as she pulled one of the many silk-lined fur blankets that were piled on top of her up over her head. Keeping her eyes tightly shut, she buried her face beneath the feather and buckwheat pillow. The pillow was one that had been made especially for her – a present for her birthday. Normally soft as a one imagined a cloud might be, it now felt as though the embroidered silk case was filled with wood chips and stones.

Biting her lip to keep from crying out when the blanket covering her head was pulled away, the girl kept her eyes tightly shut as a cold hand rested on her fevered brow. Light _hurt_. Sound _hurt,_ and she groaned when a soft feminine voice offered her words of comfort. Pulling away from the woman's hand, the girl on the futon whimpered; touch hurt the most. Her skin felt as though it was burning, her head pounding fiercely while her stomach churned madly.

Two thin, almost talon-like, leathered fingers stroked gently down her cheek and over her brow before resting in her palm, a third talon-like finger chaffing the back of her small hand. A high-pitched, nasal voice spoke to the woman, concern – just on the edge of panic – coloring his tone. She whimpered again, calling out _his_ name. Where was _he_? Why wasn't _he_ here? He hadn't even said goodbye to her before he'd left. He _always_ said goodbye.

She sniffled back tears, feeling as though she were underwater. Her ears felt clogged, no sounds – no words – were clear. The closer she got to full consciousness, the clearer the words being spoken became. But with consciousness came an increase in the pain she felt and the sick feeling twisting her stomach into knots became almost too intense to handle, and when she finally did open her eyes, the room around her spun.

"Take her to Musashi, to the village just beyond Inuyasha's Forest," the high-pitched male voice said. "There is an old miko there named Kaede. Stay with her there until I come for you."

"And you, Jakken?" the female kitsune asked, her green eyes concerned as she tipped the child's head up slightly and pressed the rim of a delicately carved silver goblet to her lips. "Drink, sweetie, it will help."

"I must find Sesshoumaru-sama. Go to sleep, Rin," he soothed when the child whimpered at the sound of her adoptive father's name. "Go to sleep."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

She knew she was growling, snarling even. She could feel her youkai clawing its way to the surface, demanding to be released, and just knew her eyes were glowing red. She didn't want to be calmed, didn't want to be pacified. What she wanted was the blood of the man who was threatening her pack sister.

"Calm yourself, wolf," Sesshoumaru spoke evenly, unfazed by her anger. "I share your rage, but he is human, and so is she. In this we cannot interfere. You know as well as I, Ayame, that the miko will survive this."

"After nearly a _year_ of mental and spiritual torture!" she raged, the broken pieces of her cell phone falling from her clenched hand to land soundlessly on the plush carpet below her feet. "She nearly died three times! How do you know that you didn't interfere before?"

Sesshoumaru leveled a stare at the red headed she-wolf. Ayame wouldn't be calmed, refused to allow his assurances to comfort her. He thought back to those distant memories of so long ago. He remembered Kagome's struggle; could still almost smell the salt of her tears, the bittersweet tang of her fear. He still remembered all the sleepless nights he'd endured after moving Kagome and her pack of misfits into his castle in the Western Lands while Inuyasha had returned to her world – this world – to hunt down the one responsible.

"I know, wolf," Sesshoumaru spoke low, demanding her full attention, "because I still remember the scent of blood on Inuyasha's claws."

Ayame fell heavily into the padded black armchair behind her, the fight suddenly gone from her, leaving her with only a sense of resigned defeat in its wake as she dropped her face into her hands and sighed heavily. She let her palms slide slowly down her face until only her fingertips covered her lips and looked up at Sesshoumaru, her eyes sad and pleading.

"Why?" she begged an answer from the inu-no-taisho. "Why must she go through this pain?"

Although his expression never once showed it, he sympathized with Ayame, shared her desire to protect the miko. Coming to stand in front of his cherry wood desk, he leaned back against it and crossed his ankles and arms.

"Do you remember the final battle against Naraku?" He waited as she remained silent, watching as she nodded slowly. "Do you remember the strength of Kagome's arrows and how Kikyou's power paled in comparison?" Again Ayame nodded, once again choosing to remain silent. "This battle for her soul, and ultimately her sanity, strengthened the miko beyond anything that any amount of training could have. If not for having endured what she did – what she will – she would not have been able to defeat Naraku."

Accepting the cornflower blue mug of dark rich coffee that Sesshoumaru's mate handed her with a nod of thanks, Ayame turned to her.

"Kagura, I didn't hear you come in," Ayame greeted the wind sorceress.

"It's been awhile, Ayame," Kagura returned with a welcoming smile. "How's Kenji?"

"He's good." Ayame sat silently for a moment, the tension from Kagura's unspoken question thick in the air. "Kenji discovered the identity of the dark sorcerer."

Kagura remained silent as her mind processed what Ayame was telling her. Her magenta eyes widened in surprise before quickly narrowing in anger. Sesshoumaru could feel the snap and crackle of rage in his mate's aura, could feel the powerful swell of her youkai as her eyes glowed the color of fresh blood with the force of her youki.

"Who?" the wind sorceress growled low, dangerously.

"Her uncle."

All heads turned at the sound of Ginta's angry voice. The human woman leaning against his side, wrapped in his arm, looked half asleep. Ayame stood quickly and took Kina from Ginta's embrace, guiding the woman to sit in the chair she had just vacated. Sesshoumaru and Kagura studied the newcomer curiously, the wind sorceress's eyes widening in surprise seconds before she addressed the woman.

"Tell me," Kagura said, stepping away from Sesshoumaru and toward Kina, "are you Kagome's mother?"

Kina nodded, struggling to grasp onto the last vestiges of consciousness as the sound of Ginta's soft rumbling growls robbed her of the ability to stay awake. Kagura looked up at the wolf youkai when her sensitive hearing registered the sound of his almost silent growling. She knew the technique quite well, Sesshoumaru having used it on herself quite a few times when she couldn't sleep or had woken with nightmares of Naraku.

"What is it that you don't want your mate to know, wolf?" Sesshoumaru demanded of Ginta.

"Shiro came to the shrine last night, searching for Kagome," Ginta said and lifted a brow at the blank stares he received from the inu-no-taisho and his mate. "Shiro is Kina's brother; he's also the dark sorcerer," he said, his eyes darkening as he revealed a truth he wished he could deny. "I swear he smelled like Naraku."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

His blue eyes shone in the harsh, angry red light of the sinking sun. The deep, contrasting colors of the sunset bled together in the sky above his head as twinkling stars began to appear on the blue-black horizon. Turning his attention to the red haired youkai approaching him, he waited for the news his companion would bring. Green eyes that shone like emeralds in the sun looked like dark jade in the fading light, yet still had the ability to hold him fast with their piercing gaze.

"He's in there with one of the members of the panther youkai tribe. They've been negotiating treaty and ally proposals for the past two days. They've reached an impasse that neither party is willing to budge on."

"And that would be?" the blue-eyed youkai demanded.

"The price given to the one that brings her in alive."

Blue eyes narrowed, a low snarling growl sounding like thunder from the youkai. "_Why do they want her?_"

"The humans want her for a gift. Giving her to the panther youkai tribe will assure that they get the lands and other demands that they want. The panther youkai tribe wants her because they believe that the offering of her blood will return their master who was slain by her and her mate."

His dark hair fluttered in the wind for only seconds when Kanaye's strong hand wrapped around his bicep and held him fast, stopping him in his tracks.

"If you go in there now, Kouga, you risk not only your own life, but hers as well. We still don't know yet if either party has sent hunters out after Kagome or not."

"Then why didn't you stay and listen more?" Kouga snarled angrily, his blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"They've all retired for the evening."

Kanaye shook his head at the impulsive wolf prince. How would this young pup ever successfully lead his pack if he didn't learn to think things through and be battle wise instead of letting the heat of battle and emotion cloud his mind? Even Inuyasha, brash and hotheaded as they came, knew enough to slow down and form a battle plan.

"When all of this is over, wolf, you should come to the Western Lands and train with Sesshoumaru-sama."

Kouga eyed the kitsune next to him suspiciously, his eyes narrowing as they darkened to a storm-cloud blue. "Why would I want to do that?"

"To train, baka," Kanaye replied, half wanting to slap the arrogant wolf upside his head. "You know how to fight. And while that's good, wolf, it's not nearly enough. To rule _and_ successfully lead your tribe you need to become a great taiyoukai. That means training, and lots of it. Battle planning, diplomacy, leadership – true leadership, not just throwing your weight around as you see fit – and those are just for starters. You can't lead your pack by snapping at their heels. You need to learn to lead them by example. Support them, be their strength even when you feel like doing nothing more than falling down. That's what it means to be taiyoukai, Kouga. That's what you need to learn."

The kitsune's speech – his revelation, his epiphany, left Kouga motionless and speechless as well. He stared straight ahead at the forest in front of them. He wasn't sure what to think, but he knew that Kanaye was right. As it stood now, Ginta had better leadership skills than he did. Once everything with Kagome was taken care of and the threats against her were neutralized, he would have time to truly consider Kanaye's recommendation. He had so much to think about now, and he gave a mental groan as a dull throbbing began behind his right eye.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

He was worried. There were no two ways about it, and no comforting efforts could chase the worry away. He was on edge, had been for the past week – ever since Ginta had disappeared with his mother. He had gone so far recently as to take Shasta, a golden retriever-American Timber wolf mix, everywhere he went. Looking down at the Yugi-oh watch his sister had given him nearly a year ago for being ranked in the top two-percentile of his grade school class, he twisted the rubber-plastic band around his wrist – chaffing the skin beneath.

Wandering out into the forested back yard behind the stone and wood mansion, Souta kicked off his shoes and tucked his socks inside the black sneakers. He let his feet slide through the thick grass, damp from the rainfall the night before. He had hoped that in doing so he would feel closer to his sister and her hanyou love that he idolized. Instead, he felt nothing.

The wolf-dog by his side whined up at him, not understanding the darkness and loneliness that had suddenly colored his scent. No one knew, everyone thought him little more than a child – no one understood. Did they think he didn't care? His mother and sister were being tormented and torn apart by something he couldn't see, something he heard them all say that they couldn't fight. He hadn't seen Kagome for almost three months now – or had it been four?

That was another thing, the boy silently raged as he kicked at a few stray sticks in the grass. He couldn't accurately determine the passing of time anymore. Some days passed by so slowly that he thought they would never end, while others flew by so quickly that he thought them little more than a dream. He hadn't seen his grandfather in a while either, and while he knew the older man was off visiting friends – what would happen when he came home and no one was there?

His foot slipped in the wet grass and he fell to lie on his back; Shasta trotted over to stand next to him, her tail wagging as she looked down at him. Souta didn't know if he was angry, scared, or just plain crazy. His mother had quite effectively pulled both he and his sister out of school until further notice, citing a family emergency.

Raising a hand up to pet the thick fur covering Shasta's shoulder, Souta looked up at the cloud covered sun. A strange sort of calm, an almost cold emptiness, settled over the boy. He let his fingers sink down into the thick fur of the animal next to him until he was idly massaging the corded muscle beneath. He sighed deeply a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as the wolf-dog laid down beside him and rested her head on his chest.

Was this how it would be from now on, he wondered. By no means was he at all displeased with where he was or the people he was with…but he couldn't help but hate the events that had led them all to this place, left them in this situation. Would his sister ever be safe again? Would his mother's eyes ever shine again with happiness that wasn't clouded by worry or fear? Or would they always live with the threat of his uncle looming dangerously in the background?

Reaching into his right front pocket, Souta retrieved and old and yellowing piece of parchment paper that he had carefully folded in a small enough square to fit inside his palm. He had come across the old tome containing this particular page late last night when he'd been to restless to sleep, and though he'd known it was a bad idea as he was doing it, he'd torn the page from the book and snuck it back to his room before anyone was the wiser.

Taking great care in unfolding the paper, he read and reread the ancient ritual and spell written in medieval Japanese.

_I could do this_, Souta thought as he read through the instructions of the ritual. _In fact, I'm the only one that can._

The torn paper he was studying held a spell – a ritual – to call back a soul from the afterlife. Specifically, it would be able to call back his father's soul. In order to work, the spell required the offering of the heir's blood – _his_ blood. Folding the paper and tucking it carefully back into his pocket, they boy relaxed back into the grass in which he laid and thought about the next move he would make and how he could successfully perform the spell without anyone interfering.

_Dad, when I do this, I hope it makes everything okay again. I hope you can make us safe again._

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


	11. To Wish Upon A Star

Chapter 11

*~*~*~ To Wish Upon A Star~*~*~*~

Souta stood outside under the dark sky. There was no moon tonight, but his eyes still found the North Star shining brightly. A memory held so long ago that it felt almost forgotten flowed through his mind with intense clarity.

_ "Souta," nine year old Kagome stood next to her little brother as they looked out his bedroom window. Pointing up at a bright star in the moonless night sky, the girl looked at her brother. "Souta, so you see that star up there?"_

_ "Uh huh. It's always there, isn't it?" the four year old child asked._

_ "That's right Souta. You see, that's papa's star. He's always there keeping watch over us and making sure that we're safe. If you feel lonely or scared, you just look up at that star, at his star, and talk to him. He'll answer you."_

_ "How can he answer? Mama said that Papa died."_

_ "He did, Souta. But he will answer. You'll hear the answer in your heart."_

"I hope you're right, Kagome." Souta said as he knelt down in the dew damp grass and stared up through the trees at the star. "I hope that is papa."

Turning to the knapsack he'd brought with him, Souta removed the old piece of parchment encased in a protective plastic sheet cover as well as a large single red candle and a ceremonial steel dagger. Lighting the candle as he studied the ritual he already knew by heart, the teenage boy took a deep steadying breath. He didn't know if he would survive the ritual, there wasn't any information that he could find abut anyone having performed it before. He had prepared for this, for the ritual and whatever may come after, since his sister had runaway after Shiro's return. Now, readying himself and pinning an envelope with his mother's and sister's names on the front to the outside of his knapsack, he was ready.

"I hope I'm doing this right, the directions aren't very specific and I've never done anything like this before." Looking up at the North Star, _Papa's Star_, he cut into his left wrist. "All this ritual says to do is to use my blood and speak from the heart to my ancestor from afar. It said that the blood must be from an heir, well that's me. I'm your son and I need you. It's gotten so crazy here. I'm scared, Papa. I never knew you, I never got the chance, but Kagome did. Kagome talks about you like you're her hero. She needs you again. Please, please help us. Help her!"

He wasn't sure when he'd started to cry, only realizing that he was when his vision became blurred by the tears. His wrist burned from the open cut, the sound of the hissing candle drawing his attention. His blood was dripping into the flame as the paper instructed, the fire fighting not to be extinguished. The candle was itself red, but now there was a curtain of his blood staining it darker. Looking up at the star once more, Souta cried out, feeling more desperate than before.

"I don't know what to do! He's hurting Kagome! He's hurting Mama! We need you! They need you! Please, Papa, come back!"

Sesshoumaru stood out on the balcony of the headmaster's house they were staring in, staring up into the night sky. The moon had a ring around it, _blood on the moon_, his mother used to call it. Danger was upon him and those he loved. He needed to get back to the castle to check in on Rin and make certain that she was alright, but caution stayed his course. Both Kagome and Sango were still being plagued by constant nightmares, their frequency and intensity seeming to grow worse with each passing night.

A cold breeze blew around him, strands of his silver mane dancing gracefully upon the wind. Ginta had left to join Kouga. Sesshoumaru had felt confident to let Kanaye handle the wolf tribe in their joined efforts to put an end to the threat made by the lion taiyoukai and the humans. If the matter grew worse than anticipated, he would join them, but for now Kanaye had his confidence. Turning to the room behind him, Sesshoumaru walked back inside and closed the shoji door against the cold wind.

His brother was sleeping in an exhausted slumber, the kitsune kit curled in his arms, Kagome oddly absent. He found the girl sitting by a low window, her attention gazing up at the stars, her cheeks dampened by silent tears. He was at her side within moments, looking down upon her both curious and worried by her ever growing silence. She had been withdrawing into herself more and more as the dreams grew worse. Offering his hand to her when she looked up at him, Sesshoumaru helped the miko to her feet and led her outside to stand with him on the balcony once more.

"Talk, miko." The soft command in his voice was unmistakable.

Kagome shook her head, not refusing him, but not knowing where to begin. She was constantly exhausted, but terrified to sleep. "I feel…I feel like I'm being hollowed out." Her voice a bare whisper in the wind. "These dreams, they don't feel like dreams. They're too real."

"Why have you not talked of them?" he asked her curiously. "All you say, Kagome, is that you had a nightmare or that 'it was just a dream' as though it doesn't matter."

"Dreams aren't supposed to harm you. They're not supposed to be able to hurt or control you. They make me feel crazy and out of control. I don't want to go back to that place."

"That is the fifth time that you have mentioned being sent away. Who sent you away? What is this place you wish not to return to?"

Her scent spiked with fear and Sesshoumaru looked around for a source of danger he could identify, before realizing the fear was due to her memories. Wrapping her in his arms and growling low to comfort her, Sesshoumaru gently combed his claws through her hair.

"Know that this Sesshoumaru, nor my dimwitted hanyou brother would send you away. You have our protection, you are safe. Now tell me, what is this place?"

Releasing a deep breath as she relaxed, Kagome felt her arms wrap around Sesshoumru's waist of their own accord. Allowing herself to take comfort in his embrace and promise of protection, the girl closed her eyes, talking about a memory she had done her best to bury.

"I was six when my father died…when Shiro killed him. I told my mother, I told her what I had seen… She didn't believe me, no one did, not even grandpa. Shiro convinced her that I was mad with grief."

"What did you see, Miko?" the taiyoukai asked when her words grew silent.

"Shiro and Daddy were arguing. Shiro, he lifted his hand and there was a ball of this...sickly black light in his hand. He pushed it into Daddy's chest. Seconds later he was dead." Her grip on the back of his haori tightening and Seshoumaru growled softly to abate the scent of fear once again coloring her scent. "I told mom this, she wouldn't listen. She sent me away to this place that she said was supposed to help me with my grief. People who would help me see the truth. I was locked away. I wasn't allowed to call my family nor have any visitors. I was given medications, potions," she amended remembering that he didn't know as much about her world as the others, "to keep me quiet. I was asked each day what happened to my father. When I told the truth, I was given potions that made it hard for me to think, sometimes I couldn't even walk or form words. If I stayed quiet, if I said nothing than I would be denied food until I talked. My choices were to be drugged if I told the truth, denied food if I refused to speak, or if I lied and told them what they wanted to hear – told them what Shiro had said happened, than I would be allowed one visitor… Shiro.

He would come each week to 'check on my progress' as he called it. I wanted out of there so badly that I tried to escape. I was caught just outside the front door and was put in restraints and locked away again. I don't know how long they left me like that. Tied up, no food, no contact with anyone. I remember feeling to weak to move when someone did finally come to me."

Wrapping his arms around her tighter, Sesshoumaru stroked her hair, petting her black mane in long slow strokes. To be so young and to see a parent die, only to then be betrayed by the other? Shushing her when she shivered with her fear, reliving the memory from so long ago, Sesshoumaru could only hope his presence comforted her.

"Every time they brought me food, I felt weaker; more out of touch like the living dead."

"They were poisoning your food," he said when she remained silent.

"Yes," Kagome affirmed her voice breaking. "For days they poisoned my food until I refused to eat. After three weeks of not eating, Shiro had no choice but to take me home. I didn't know who to trust anymore. I didn't know who was safe. I wouldn't eat food that anyone brought me, but I would sneak crackers away in my room where no one would find them. I didn't talk to anyone for weeks. What if I said the wrong thing? Would they send me back? Souta had just turned two years old when I was brought home. I had been gone for eight months. He was too young to understand any of what was going on. I had to protect him but I didn't know how. On the day Shiro finally left, he promised me that he wasn't finished. I didn't understand back then, but I do now. What I don't understand is why."

Looking up toward the door, Sesshoumaru met his brother's golden gaze. He knew then that Inuyasha had been privy to their conversation. The set of the hanyou's jaw, the glint of danger in his eyes said it all and the brothers nodded to each other in silent agreement. Taking hold of Kagome's hand, Sesshoumaru brought her upturned palm between them, his eyes asking for her trust as he used a single claw to cut a small line in her delicate flesh. Her soft gasp was born more of surprise than of pain as she looked at him in confusion. Repeating the action on his own hand, Sesshoumru placed their hands together, blood to blood.

"I, Sesshumaru, inu no youkai of the Western Lands, take you Kagome, into my pack as my sister. Those who you protect, I will protect. Those you call pack, I shall treat as pack. Do you, Miko Kagome, accept this Sesshoumaru as your brother?"

Struck speechless by the formality and intimacy of his actions Kagome could only nod. "You gotta say it, Wench." Inuyasha's soft gruff voice sounded from behind her and she turned her head toward the hanyou without taking her eyes from Sesshoumaru's..

"I, Kagome, accept you Sesshoumaru as my pack mate-"

"Brother." Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru correct simultaneously.

"Brother," Kagome repeated. "Those who you protect, I will protect," she repeated the taiyoukai's words. "Those you call pack, I shall treat as pack."

"From this day forth, it shall be know that you are blood pack of the Inu no Youkai." Sesshoumaru stated and released their joined hands.

"I don't understand," Kagome said studying her palm."You cut both my hand and yours, but there's no blood, not even a scratch."

"It is as it should be. There would only be injury if you rejected the offer of blood pack." Sesshoumaru informed her, watching as the girl fit easily against his brother, the hanyou wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Why would I reject you?" the girl asked as though the idea were completely foreign to her.

"Few know of the ritual, even fewer would accept."

Looking at the girl, Sesshoumaru was unable to hide the slight smirk of amusement. Somewhere between her question and his answer she had fallen asleep. Advising his brother to her unconscious state, he stepped inside waiting for the hanyou to enter before closing the door.

**:::::**

Author's Note: To those who have kept coming back time and again and encouraging for updates, thank you for being such good fans. Somewhere between my passion for this story in particular and my own book that I have been working on for a while now, life got in the way. I cannot promise when the next update will come, but know that this story is not finished, not by a long shot. I don't know if I will be updating any of my other stories, as this has been the one to keep an ever present vigil in my mind. Please also note that my updates are typically faster on as this is the main site that I post to.

Thank you for reading!


	12. Anguish

Chapter 12

~*~*~*~*~*Anguish~*~*~*~*~

Kagome awoke with a start, her scream breaking the silence of the night. She couldn't see, it was too dark, the night around her too suffocating. She couldn't hear anyone near her, couldn't sense anyone close. Her heart beat furiously in her chest, the rhythm dizzying, leaving her breathless and unsteady. She called out for Inuyasha and then for Sesshoumaru when no answer came from the hanyou. No one responded, no one was there…but then she heard footsteps. A too loud 'snick' sounded behind her and the inky blackness was drenched in light too bright to see.

Kagome tried to raise her hands to cover her face only to find her arms restrained against her sides as though she were hugging herself. Looking down at herself, the expression of horror that crossed her face was mirrored by the sound of terror that broke from her as she struggled against the straight jacket binding her arms. She screamed and cried out for anyone, for Sango and Miroku, for Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, she even cried out for Kouga – anyone to help her escape this nightmare.

A voice sounded behind her, a voice that had haunted her for years, a voice that frightened her worse than Naraku ever had. Shiro stepped through the doorway of the tiny room, the light too bright for her to see anything more than his black silhouette. The closer he came to her the louder she screamed for help. He grabbed her, his hold on her arm punishing, inescapable. Something long and rubber was shoved into her mouth, it wrapped around her tongue and shielded her teeth.

_Kagome_

Shiro told her to stop fighting, told her that it was time for her treatment. The more she tried to fight him, the stronger his grip became, the more his hold hurt. It felt to her as though he was trying to break her arm with just the hold of his hand. She tried to scream through the strange mouth guard, tried to fight against his hold. A sharp painful slap to her cheek silenced her, her cheek cut from where Shiro's ring had cut her skin open.

_Kagome!_

She knew what the treatment was and she didn't want it. She had to get away, but she felt so weak. Even with the adrenaline coursing through her veins she felt barely able to keep up the fight much longer, but she had to, she had to get away.

_KAGOME! _

That voice! Her eyes searched around her frantically but she couldn't find it, she couldn't find the source of that voice. Trying desperately to fight against Shiro and the male nurse on her other side, Kagome screamed into the mouth guard again, her cries muffled greatly by the pliable rubber that tasted of soap and alcohol of cleaners that burned her tongue and stung her nose. Crying and kicking as she was lifted and tied down to a table, Kagome tried to scream again, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes as the small metal circles were affixed to her temples and the machine attached to them buzzed to life making a sickening scratchy crackling sound as electricity moved through it.

_KAGOME! WAKE UP!_

_Miko, you must awaken! It is only a dream! _

That second voice, she knew that one too but couldn't find the person behind it. How could this be a dream? It was too real! She felt the shock of the electricity as her muscles froze and her brain exploded in pain. Her body jerked, she couldn't even cry out anymore. She couldn't get away, she couldn't cry for help, she would die here.

_Kagome please! Wake up!_

The current grew stronger and the girl felt as though her body was being shattered down into its base molecules. Her bonds felt as though they were melting away seconds before she felt the darkness close in on her.

Kagome shot upright, screaming even as she choked for breath. Her head was pounding, her skin burning, her heart hammering an unsteady and all too fast staccato in her chest, beating against her ribs as though it wished to escape the confines of bone and flesh. Her hands shook, her whole body trembling violently. Arms closed in around her, warmth cascading over her as two voices promised her safety and comfort. Tears blurred her vision, blinded her. She could feel Inuyasha behind her, holding her tightly as he growled low to soothe her fear away. Her hands were clutching tightly to another hand and she bowed her head to see a snowy hand, magenta stripes and deadly claws.

Reaching out with his free hand, Sesshoumaru tucked her hair behind her rounded ear, smoothing her tears away with the pads of his fingers and thumb. Collapsing against Inuyasha as the adrenaline rushing through her veins seemed to disappear completely, the miko sobbed. Inuyasha rocked her, cooing softly to her his promise of protection as Sesshoumaru held her hands in his and promised the girl his protection as well.

Kagome struggled against Inuyasha's hold as sudden churning in her stomach twisted her insides mercilessly.

"I'm going to be sick," she half whispered – half sobbed.

Helping her to the pot in the corner of the room, Inuyasha held her hair back and Sesshoumaru rubbed her back in slow soothing circles as she stood on her hands and knees. After a few moments of dry heaving and coughing, only to fall to the floor on her side when nothing came from her empty stomach, Kagome found herself ready to pray for death to take her. Scooping her up into his arms, Inuyasha carried Kagome back to the futon bed and laid her down gently on the feather stuffed, silk lined fur blanket.

"I want to kill that fucker," Inuyasha snarled darkly, his voice too low for anyone but his brother to hear. "How _dare_ he do this to Kagome!"

"Take caution, brother," Sesshoumaru said, the timbre of his voice matching his brother's deadly quiet. "We still do not know how harming this sorcerer will affect your miko. You would not wish to cause her more harm than she is already experiencing, would you?"

"Keh! Of course not, baka. But I can't just sit here and do nothing either."

"Whatever your decision, I will guard the Miko," Sesshoumaru promised as Kagome stirred.

"Where am I?" Kagome asked, her voice catching on the tears that refused to be subdued.

"You're with us, Kagome," Inuyasha soothed her as he rubbed her arms from shoulder to elbow, slowly, repeatedly hoping to bring her whatever comfort he could.

"A dream?" Kagome asked, her voice barely a whisper. A choked sob broke from her, the sound mixing with a harsh disbelieving laugh. "That was just a dream?" Her hands fisted in her hair as she shook her head and swallowed a frustrated scream, the sound turning into a growl. "I'm losing my mind. How could it be a dream when it felt so _real_? I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed red at the defeated sound of her voice. Tipping her face up to meet his golden eyes, Inuyasha kissed Kagome's trembling lips. "I will fix this," the hanyou promised her, a steely edge to his voice. "I will fix this."

Moving her gently from his lap and handing her to his brother, Inuyasha slipped Tetsuaiga through the waistband of his hakama and disappeared out of the headman's house. Sesshoumaru looked down at the human girl curled in his lap, held in his arms. She was frightfully thin. Unable to keep down the little food she was able to eat when awake; her periods of consciousness were becoming fewer and farther between. No matter how afraid she was to sleep, her body was too exhausted for her to stay awake.

Her eyes were still open, but they saw nothing, the girl trapped within her own mind as she relived her dreams. The taiyoukai growled low, the sound soothing her frayed nerves and she leaned heavily against him. Moving them both back to the futon bed, Sesshoumaru slipped under the blanket with her, holding Kagome against his side as she pillowed her cheek on his chest. Moaning softly and grimacing as a wave of pain shot up her back and into her head, Kagome tensed.

Inuyasha fairly flew through the forest as he ran with a speed he could never remember having achieved before. It was one thing for youkai and oni to attack them as a group, to be a physical threat to Kagome. But this man, this _evil_ who was her uncle was threatening her mind, her very sanity. He was bringing her nightmares, corrupting her thoughts; bending reality to a place where she knew longer knew how to tell the difference between reality and her dreams.

His claws flexed, his knuckles cracking dangerously. His eyes continuously flashed between their brilliant gold and the dangerous blood red of his youkai. His need to protect Kagome, his mate, was entwined so deeply with his rage at this man for hurting her that all he could smell was the blood he would spill. His aura was beyond ferocious, deadly and dangerous; lower youkai who had been intent on killing this phantom hanyou running through the night stopped far from him. Nothing would dare to go near Inuyasha as he ran.

The sun broke the horizon as he came upon the well and jumped through the time portal to the other side. His ears twitched on top of his head as he ran from the well house and into the shrine grounds. The smells and sounds of the city that normally assailed him were dulled and drowned out by his bloodlust for the one who dared to bring harm to Kagome. All he could smell was Shiro, as faint as the human's scent was, Inuyasha could still smell him. In a blur of silver and red, the hanyou burst from the Shrine grounds, passer bys on the street knowing nothing of his presence save the odd gust of wind that passed them by.

From roof top to roof top, Inuyasha bounded, following the scent of Shiro as it steadily grew stronger. He was closing in fast, it wouldn't be long now before he would sink his claws into the human and tear his flesh apart, spill his blood.

_I will protect you, Kagome. No matter the cost._ Inuyasha promised her. _I won't let that bastard hurt you anymore._

Kina searched through the forest surrounding Ginta and Ayame's estate looking for Souta. He had disappeared sometime the night before and she had yet to find him. It was well past lunch time and she was worried that she still hadn't found him. Where could he be? A cry of surprise broke from her as her foot slipped in wet leaves and she fell down to the land hard on the ground. Her hands landed in something cold, wet and sticky. Grimacing as she raised her hands to her face, her breath whistled out of her, her eyes widening in fright.

Blood covered Kina's hands and looking further down the edge of the embankment she had fallen on, she saw Souta lying so very still in the dried leaves. Kina's heartbeat sounded loudly in her ears, the pulsating staccato rhythm growing faster with each running step. She didn't hear herself scream for Ginta over and over. She didn't hear Ginta or Ayame call out her name as they came tearing through the forest after her.

Collapsing to her knees next to her son's too still body, Kina scooped the boy into her arms, turning him over to see his face. His left wrist was slashed open three times, dried blood making a ruddy brown half sleeve on his arm. Her blood covered hands grasped at his right wrist, his neck, even his temple searching desperately for a pulse. Screaming at Souta to wake up when she couldn't find a pulse, Kina cried, her heart shattering beyond repair.

She didn't know if it was minutes or hours that passed by before Souta was lifted out of her arms and she was cradled against Ginta's chest. Time held no meaning to her anymore. The forest turned into streaming colors as Ginta and Ayame rushed mother and child back to their home. Her daughter was being tormented by her brother and now her son was very likely dead and from the looks of it, his death was by his own hand. It was all just too much for her to take in.

Two words broke through her haze of anguish. Two words that promised her the world. Two words spoken by a voice she didn't recognize.

"He lives."


	13. Searching

Chapter 13

~*~*~*~*Searching*~*~*~*~

Graveyard soil, stale wind, and something underlying them both that he couldn't describe, but was so sickeningly sweet it left a rancid taste in the hanyou's mouth. Shiro's scent, it was dark, evil and infused with death. It wasn't the man's death – no, whoever Shiro was, he was a killer. There was blood on this dark sorcerer's hands and a lot of it. Inuyasha had been following Shiro's scent from the moment he had burst from the well house. The dark sorcerer's stench was all over Kagome's house; her family however was long gone. Mama Higurashi, Souta and jii-chan's scents were old; it had been at least a week or more since they'd been there and Inuyasha hoped that wherever they were, they were safe.

Muscles aching, lungs burning, head pounding, he pushed himself harder – faster. He stayed to the rooftops, high above the humans moving about the ground below. Nothing more than a flash of silver and red, the hanyou was moving too fast for anyone to see him. His hand grasped the hilt of Tetsusaiga, the pulsing fang just barely keeping his youkai blood in check. He had to find Shiro, he had to stop him from hurting Kagome.

_Kagome_. Inuyasha stopped and stood still as he lifted his nose to the wind, trying to find the scent he'd momentarily lost. _Hold on, Kagome. I'll kill him and then you'll be free._

_What if we hurt her?_ His youkai blood asked.

_What? What do you mean 'what if we hurt her'?_

_Think back, baka. When we fought in the dream world, he said that if we harm him, we harm _her_. What if hurting him – killing him – hurts Kagome?_

Inuyasha didn't respond to that. He didn't have an answer. Sprinting off as he picked up Shiro's scent, it occurred to him that the scent was changing. It was mutating into something else.

_He's trying to hide. He's trying to change his scent. Find him before he changes it completely!_

Moving faster, changing the elusive sorcerer, Inuyasha growled low, the sound dangerous, deadly. He had tracked Shiro's scent to Kagome's school and from there to a house on the outskirts of town. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, Inuyasha's frustration growing stronger. He'd left Kagome with his brother in that strange little village across the well just after morning intending to find and kill Shiro. Now, he stood on the roof of an old warehouse, the buildings around him dilapidated, abandoned, and smelling of rats, death and dust.

Shiro's scent was gone completely now. There was nothing left for the hanyou to track. _Fucking bastard!_ Shaking his head as he turned around, Inuyasha cursed loudly, staring in disbelief at the shining black locks that fell over his shoulder. He had just turned human six nights ago in his own time! Inuyahsa hated that the moon cycles didn't match between his world and Kagome's. Lifting his hands to his face, he growled low, the sound a pale comparison coming from his human throat. He hated his human nights. He was weaker, his heightened senses gone, and the feeling of vulnerability was more than he could normally deal with.

He had no idea how to get back to the Shrine from where he was. He had been following the scent when he was running and hadn't paid enough attention to his surroundings. Looking around the roof for a suitable place to rest for the night, Inuyasha found a tight little alcove in the far corner. It wasn't very big, but it didn't need to be. Sitting with his back against the corner, his body fairly hidden by the two sides and small roof of the alcove, Inuyasha hugged his sword to his chest and stared out into the night.

_Hold on for me, Kagome. Please, just hold on._

**:::::**

"Inu…yash..a," Kagome groaned, calling out for the hanyou in her sleep.

Miroku looked down at the sleeping girl sadly. Sesshoumaru had left not long after Inuyasha had, stating that Akira-sama must be dealt with before nightfall. The taiyoukai had promised to return as soon as he could, but the monk had his doubts. It wasn't that he thought Sesshoumaru wouldn't return, but if this lion youkai truly wished for Kagome to be his mate, Miroku feared that Sesshoumaru may be fighting more than just the single youkai. It was quite possible that the inuyoukai may find himself up against an army.

His violet eyes drifted to Sango. She was sleeping peacefully by his side. The fever that had begun yesterday had disappeared just a short while ago and for that he was relieved. He wasn't sure what he would do if Sango became ill. Kagome moaned in her sleep, she looked so very tiny lying there under the fur blanket. Removing an ofuda from within the folds of his robes, Miroku wrapped it carefully around the young miko's wrist. It was meant for protection, comfort, and his prayed that it would grant her the strength she needed to make it through this torment.

"Kagome," Miroku spoke softly, "fight. Fight _hard_, Kagome. Don't give up this battle. There are so many here who need you."

Gently smoothing away the tears that leaked from the corners of her tightly closed eyes, Miroku brushed Kagome's bangs to the side. Her skin was damp, fevered. The helplessness of not knowing how to help his friend through this spiritual battle made him both fearful and angry. What was he to do? He had tried to use an ofuda to exorcise a demonic aura on Kagome earlier only to have her cry out in pain and watch horrified as blood bubbled underneath the strip of enchanted paper. There was still an angry red outline from where the paper had burned the skin of her right arm.

Kagome cried out for Inuyasha again, her voice choked and raspy. His brows furrowed in concern as he watched her hands come up to her neck, scratching at the air by her throat as though she were trying to fight off some unseen force. Slowly she grew still, her hands falling away and it was then Miroku found that she was no longer breathing. Cursing under his breath, the monk was by her side, leaning over her, his ear pressed against her chest. No sound. There was no heartbeat, no breath.

_Please, Kami, let this work._ Miroku pleaded silently as he used the technique Kagome had taught him almost a year ago. She had called it CPR and said that it could bring someone back to life, but only if they had very recently died and he hoped to all that was holy that this worked. Pressing his hands against her chest three times, he tilted her head back and pinched her nose before forcing his breath into her mouth. She didn't breathe. He repeated his movements, his own heart beating wildly with fright. One breath from Miroku, than two and still nothing from the girl.

"Come on, Kagome. Breathe, please just _breathe_!" Miroku spoke forcefully to the girl, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Sango.

Pinching the girl's nose again and forcing his breath into her lungs he was rewarded with her gasping harsh breaths and violent coughs as she searched for air to fill her lungs. Wrapping Kagome up in his arms and dragging her tight against his chest, Miroku rocked them both back and forth, tears falling down his cheeks as he held her. She was dead, for just a moment she had been _dead_. Her voice was soft, frightened when she spoke his name and the monk looked down into her bleary eyes.

"Kami, Kagome," Miroku said, his own voice harsh, raspy with his upset. "What the hell happened?"

"He was…he was choking me," the girl sobbed, shaking from cold or fright he wasn't sure. "Inu-" Kagome's voice broke off as a coughing fit overpowered her. "Inuyasha's _dead_," she cried. "He showed me, Miroku, he showed me him killing Inuyasha."

"He's not dead, Kagome. Inuyasha's not here right now, he went to hunt down Shiro, but he's not dead. I promise you he's not," Miroku said as he held her close, taking the purple cloth of his robe off and wrapping it around the emaciated girl. "He's not dead," he repeated.

"Don't let me fall asleep, Miroku," Kagome begged, her face a wash with tears, her eyes wide and terrified. "Please, _please_ don't let me fall asleep."

The girl in his arms was too frightened, too weak for him to let go of. Taking back his position sitting against the wall, Miroku held Kagome in his lap. She was so frail, her body thin – too thin. Kagome curled into a tight ball, clutching the violet cloth closer around her shoulders and tucking her head under the monk's chin. Her heart was pounding madly in her chest, a rhythm so fast it was almost violent. She had to stay awake. She just had to.

**::::**

It was still at least two hours until sunrise. Though the darkness of the night was receding, giving way to lighter blues, he was still trapped within the confines of his human form. Inuyahsa didn't doubt for a moment that when he was restored to his hanyou state Shiro's scent would be gone. The sorcerer was doing his best to erase it, or at the very least to change it, and that more than anything pissed him off. If Inuyasha couldn't track Shiro's scent then he wouldn't be able to find him. _And if I can't find the bastard, I can't kill him._

A rusting sound, almost too low for his human ears to catch, sounded from somewhere off to his left. His dark eyes scanned the roof, Inuyasha knowing better than to leave the safety of the alcove he was tucked into. Whoever or whatever was moving around wouldn't be able to see him unless they were directly in front of him; that was why he had chosen to take refuge in this spot. A strange sound – a metallic scrape and a click – was followed by a sharp snapping sound. He had never heard the sound before and didn't know what it meant or what to expect from it.

_Just hold out, be still for a little while longer. Sunrise is just around the corner. Then you'll be hanyou again_, Inuyasha told himself.

"I know you're up here, you beast. Show yourself."

Brown eyes widened and Inuyasha held still, willing his heart to stop beating so damn loud. He knew that voice, recognized it from Kagome's dream battle. Shiro was on the roof! He couldn't be reckless enough to show himself in human form to the sorcerer, but he wasn't willing to let this opportunity to kill the man pass by either. He studied the ground of the rooftop, watching the shadows change and move as the sky grew lighter, watching for any sign of the shadow that would be cast by the man he still had yet to see.

Looking inside the small alcove, he found a collection of small rocks against the wall to his right. Perhaps he could distract the human, lead him in the wrong direction just long enough for the sun to rise. Gathering the stones in his hands, Inuyasha threw them one at a time in the direction of the far right corner of the rooftop ledge. If he could get Shiro to step out into the open, lead him the wrong direction just long enough…

Inuyasha listened, watched the moving the shadows and waited for Shiro to show himself. He had one stone left when the toes of the man's black shoes became visible. _Just a little bit longer and the sun will be up._ Shiro's laugh was wicked, dripping with the venom of his rage and perceived triumph when he stepped fully into view. Inuyasha knew that he had to stay out of sight until he was hanyou again, he couldn't risk his life – Kagome's life – by trying to do battle in this weakened state.

Black brows furrowed as he scooted deeper into the shadows. Shiro was holding some kind of weapon. It was black, had a grip and – was that a barrel? Inuyasha's eyes widened. Shiro had a gun and a small gun at that. He knew Kagome's world had advanced weapons, advanced technologies, but he hadn't been prepared for this. In his world the only guns that the humans had were long, overly large rifles. The one Shiro held was small, easily hidden and looked as though it would be manageable enough for a child to wield. The wind picked up as the sun began its crest over the horizon. Inuyasha could feel the pulse of his youkai, the thrum of his blood as his senses grew stronger.

"There you are, hanyou," Shiro said before Inuyasha had realized the man had turned around. His dark cackle sent shivers up Inuyasha's spine seconds before he heard a loud bang. "Let that damned bitch try to fight now with her champion dead."

Inuyasha's left shoulder was blazing with a fiery pain. Shiro hadn't waited to see if he had truly killed Inuyasha or not, opting instead to fire another round into the hanyou's thigh before running away. The pain was excruciating. Silver dog ears were flat against his head, his lips pulled back in an angry pained grimace, white fangs glinting in the morning sun as a deadly snarl sounded from deep in his throat. Inuyasha stood quickly, intent on giving chase, but only made it two steps before falling flat on his face. The fire lancing through his shoulder and leg refused to be ignored, the pain only matched by the memory of his brother's poison claws.

Furious that his hunt had been waylaid and even more so that Shiro had been able to harm him so easily, Inuyasha carefully dug the bullets out of his body with his claws. Standing up slowly, the hanyou sniffed at the air, turning this way and that only for his suspicions to be confirmed: Shiro had managed to completely mask his scent. There was nothing for him to track. This man – no, this monster, had threatened Kagome. He had harmed Kagome, more than once and each attack grew more vicious, and now Inuyasha didn't even have a scent to track him with.

Moving as quickly as his injuries allowed, Inuyasha sped to the edge of the roof, vaulting to the next building and grunting in pain as he landed. He scanned the rooftops and the road below, his ears turning every direction possible as he searched for any sign of the human. Shiro was gone. No scent, no sight, no sound. The sound that exploded from the hanyou was born of a rage so powerful that it dared the heavens to fight against him. He had to get back to Kagome. Without the ability to hunt Shiro, Inuyasha knew that he was no use in this time. He needed to be with Kagome.

**::::**

Sesshoumaru stood silently in the open field, his eyes closed. The wind rustled through the trees and grasses, carrying the scent of two hawk youkai to his sensitive nose. The taiyoukai knew that Akira-sama would not fight honorably, but to send these hawks after him was insulting. He could tell by their scents that they were young, no more than fifty years if that. Waiting patiently for them to come closer, his golden eyes opened, Tokijin drawn and ready. Of course, Sesshoumaru knew better than anyone that a youkai like Akira-sama would not face him personally on the first strike. The golden lion had not risen to his place of power by being a fool, but rather by being a coward who ruled with bloodshed. Sesshoumaru was the Inu no Taisho, Akira-sama was a taiyoukai, yes, but only by might those who followed him did so only out of fear.

The inu youkai stood tall and proud, motionless as he waited for the attack. He didn't have to wait long. He knew exactly where the hawk youkai were before they came into view. Still he didn't move. Sesshoumaru had learned his lessons well. Thinking they had the upper hand, the hawk youkai vaulted off the ground, springing toward Sesshoumaru with their claws outstretched. Resisting the urge to arch a single eyebrow at their arrogance, he waited still. Seconds before they would've touched him, the taiyoukai spun lifting his sword in a graceful arch, completing an elliptical motion and breathing out in silent satisfaction as both youkai burst into blackish-violent light, their bodies disappearing in a sickening dust.

"This Sesshoumaru will not be stopped," he promised with a low growl as he dropped Tokijin back into its sheath.

His first priority was to deal with the disgraceful lion youkai, his second and the one that was most important, was to find Rin. It had been nearly a fortnight since he had left his castle, left Rin, in the middle of the night. He wanted to see her, needed to see her. She had been quiet since the day that Hana had been harmed, withdrawing into herself as though the child believed the attack to be her fault. Moving quickly toward the lands held by the golden lion, Sesshoumaru promised himself to gather Rin and take her back with him to the strange village. Jakken, of course, would insist on coming as well, but not this time.

Taking to his energy form, he moved faster than eyes – human or youkai – could see. His fury that one would dare threaten someone he protected drove him; his need to see Rin sped him faster. Her soft smiles, the way she would watch him when she was certain he wasn't looking, call him 'Papa' when she was too tired to know she was doing such a thing played through his mind. She was human. How had that little human orphan crawled so deeply under his skin and burrowed into his heart without his knowledge?

Materializing just outside the gates of the ravaged village – the once human village that Akira-sama had claimed for himself, Sesshoumaru stood motionless and thrust out his youki. He was surprised that that the youkai did not have more guards around him. Did the youkai truly believe himself to be so untouchable? If he did, it would prove to be a grievous mistake. Walking through the village as though he belonged there, Sesshoumaru searched for the one he would kill.

**::::**

Tears leaked from the girl's eyes continuously, no matter her state of unconsciousness. Rin had been given a potion for reducing whatever pain she was in before Rei had taken her from the castle, but the potion seemed to have no effect at all. The kitsune youkai looked down upon the human child cradled in her arms and wondered once more just what it was that was wrong. She could tell by the girl's scent that Rin wasn't ill; however the tart flavor coloring her scent didn't bring her more knowledge than that.

Shaking her head, her red hair fanning against her shoulder and cheek, Rei reprimanded herself once again for leaving Ah-Un at the castle. She had planned to take the two headed dragon with her, feeling that it would be safer to ride upon the beast with Rin rather than to carry the small child over such a vast distance in her arms – youkai speed or not. It had been Suki, the proud black inu-youkai who had been assigned to teach Rin the basics of reading, writing and math that had dissuaded her from doing so. Rei had learned a long time ago not to question Suki, the inu being the only other poison bearing youkai at the palace aside from Sesshoumaru himself. Her temper was swift, legendary and not to be trifled with.

Rin cried out, her eyes opening though she was blind to the world around her. Rei stopped, kneeling down beside a stream and scooping a bit of the water into her hand to smooth onto Rin's face and into her hair. Her brow was still horribly fevered, her skin flushed and dry. Closing her eyes, Rei concentrated on listening to the sound of Rin's unsteady heartbeat and labored breathing. Tears welled in the kitsune's eyes as a feeling of helplessness invaded her heart and mind. She had been traveling with Rin for two days, following the directions that Suki had given her, but she felt no closer to finding the village or Inuyasha's forest than when she had first left the castle.

Looking up at the sound of footsteps running in her direction, Rei stood and held the child close as she ran. She couldn't let Rin go, couldn't take any chances with the girl's life. She as well as Hana and Jakken all knew that Rin was Sesshoumaru-sama's adopted pup – human or not. To willfully bring harm to the girl would be suicide. Stopping for the briefest of moments when she caught her lord's scent in the wind, Rei cried out when an arrow pierced her right leg just below her knee. Falling heavily to the ground, the youkai knew that even if she were to pull the arrow from her leg, there would be no way for her to run, let alone carry the girl.

Try as she might, Rei found herself unable to change into her youkai form. She was weakening by the second and as the realization hit her that the arrow had been poisoned, the only thing she could feel was fear for the girl in care. Laying her body down on top of Rin in a vain effort of protection, Rei lost consciousness hearing the sound of an angry snarl in the back ground. A second arrow hit the kitsune square in the back, her form exploding into a black-violet dust, revealing the girl underneath. Rin lay motionless on the ground, sweat beaded upon her brow as tears continued to dampen her temples before rolling into her hair.

The hunter who had been after Rei, crept slowly upon Rin believing the child to be youkai disguised as human. Readying his arrow to fire, he never got the chance as claws slashed through his back, cutting him down. Inuyasha stood over Rin, looking over the field and extending his senses for any other signs of danger. When the hanyou was satisfied that they were safe, he moved and knelt down next to Rin, touching his hand to her face.

"Damn!" he cursed, pulling his hand back before lifting the child into his arms. "Hang on, pup, I'm taking you to Sesshoumaru."

Rin didn't respond. Her brown eyes closed once more as her head fell against Inuyasha's chest, the hanyou limping as he sped toward the hidden village. He didn't know what had done this to her, but knew from the scent that the girl wasn't sick. This wasn't illness, but he didn't know what it was. The only thing he knew for certain was that stoic or not – his brother was going to have a fit when he saw the condition the child was in.

**::::**

Golden eyes looked up at the moon, angry at the time it had taken to complete the task at hand. He was restless, angry, and above all worried. He _knew_ that there was something wrong with Rin, knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that she wouldn't be at the castle when he went in search of her, but still he had run to his lands after killing Akira-sama. He had found the palace healer gone, her aid requested to help one of the villages under his protection. Hana, he found, had been under lock and key by order of the palace guards stating that they were following his orders passed down through the generals. The problem was, none of the generals knew about the rabbit youkai's imprisonment and none of his soldiers knew where the orders had originated.

Freeing Hana from the bonds that held her, Sesshoumaru had taken her to Kanaye's brother, instructing the kitsune to watch over her until either he or Kanaye came to collect her. Hana's words had troubled him the most. As he had been laying her down in the futon Mitsuomaru had directed him to, Hana had grabbed his wrist, her grip weak but determined. _Find Rin._ She had begged him before passing out.

_As if that would ever be a question._ Sesshoumaru breathed in deeply, following the scents of Rei – his chief healer's apprentice and Rin. Jakken had told him that he had sent them to Musashi, the village beyond Inuyasha's forest, sputtering in indignant rage when the taiyoukai had asked why the toad hadn't accompanied them. Though he had wanted to kill his retainer, Sesshoumaru had settled for simply kicking the toad across the palace, demanding that he find out where the mysterious orders for Hana's imprisonment had come from.

_Blood._

Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly, his eyes narrowing on the bloodstained grass to his left. Rei was dead, that much was certain. The slain human carried the vague scent of his brother. Turning his nose to the wind he caught the scent of Inuyasha and Rin. The hanyou had found her, and what he saw told him that the human had been the one to kill Rei.

_The village, Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha would've taken Rin back to the village. He did leave you there with Kagome after all._

Agreeing silently with his youkai, the taiyoukai shrank down to his energy form – the fist-sized ball of greenish silver light – speeding toward the village.

**::::**

Kagome jerked awake violently, crying out for Inuyasha. The sight of his lifeless body being pulled further down on the stone spikes by the glowing kotodama necklace by her command, his life ended because of her spell, it was more than Kagome could bear. Her eyes searched the room that they were staying in, only to find herself alone. Why was she alone? It took all of her effort just to make it to her feet, the blanket falling away from her body. One shaking, trembling step after another, seven steps, then ten only to cry out as her foot slipped in a thick slippery liquid and she fell hard to the floor.

Her hip jarred painfully when she landed on her side, her palms covered in the mess on the floor when she tried to stand back up. Light from the window shone through briefly, just long enough for Kagome to see what she had slipped in – blood. Her scream had no sound, her mouth open and her eyes wide and terrified. Looking down the length of her body, Kagome choked on her breath. There was so much blood. It was a wide path leading toward the shut doors of the room. The floor was too slick for her to walk on, her hands and feet covered in blood, hindering her movements as she settled for crawling on all four toward the door.

Kagome didn't know what she would find and was terrified beyond any sense of conscious thought as she reached out one trembling hand to push the door open. The door felt heavy, weighted, and as she pushed it to the side she could hear something moving against it. She saw his robes before she saw him, screaming when Miroku's lifeless – headless body fell back toward her.

_Lady Kagome, I'm right here! Just open your eyes, Kagome._

That was Miroku's voice! How could he possibly be talking to her? He was dead! Ignoring the voice of her friend, Kagome moved out of the room, bracing herself against the door as she pulled herself to her feet. Something bumped and tickled against her toes and she looked down. She shouldn't have looked down. Miroku's severed head lay resting against her foot, his open lifeless eyes staring up at her.

_Kagome! I'm not dead! Wake up!_

"I'm sorry, I'm so s-s-sorry," the girl whimpered, looking down into the eyes of her friend.

"You did this." Her eyes widened at the accusing tone of her friend, the moving mouth of his decapitated head. "What did you think, Kagome? That everything would be all right, that Inuyasha would let you sleep a bit more if you used that command of yours on him? Did you even know that he had his sword drawn? Did you care?"

Kagome shook her head, her eyes bulging as she stared at the talking head. "Inu-Inuyasha? You're…_how_?"

Miroku's severed head rolled to the side, Kagome's eyes following the direction of his gaze. Tetsusaiga lay on the floor near Miroku's fallen body, blood covering the rusted blade. Inuyasha lay next to it, his body run through with Miroku's holy staff, smoke rising from the hanyou's lifeless body as his remains were slowly being purified.

_Kagome, please! _**Wake up!**

She screamed, falling to her knees as she stared at them both. No, she shook her head, how could this be? She couldn't – she didn't –no! Inuyahsa's hand twitched, moved just slightly and she stumbled, fell as she tried to run to him. Landing hard on her knees by his side, Kagome thought – hoped – _prayed_ that he had survived, that he was only injured. She touched his silver hair, his dog ears and then slowly with great care, she turned his head to see his face.

_Dammit, Wench! Wake the hell up!_

She screamed her terror, her grief as she looked upon the burned out eyes of the only person she would ever love. His jaw moved his scratchy voice was angry and accusing.

"Are you happy now, Kagome?" Inuyasha's corpse asked her. "You used that fucking command enough, you must be happy. There was a demon, bitch. I was coming to save you and you fucking sat me for waking you up!"

Kagome backed away, her head shaking showing her disbelief. No, she wouldn't do that. She wouldn't 'sit' Inuyasha for waking her up, she wouldn't! Her blood turned to ice in her veins, coldness so deep it burned spreading through her body. She had used the command on him before when she was tired, when he tried to wake her. Crying out when his hand moved, his claws piercing through her feet and pinning her to the wooden floor below, Kagome sobbed.

"M-my f-f-fault," she stammered, falling to her knees when her legs refused to hold her any longer. The claws in her feet tore deeper as she fell, tearing skin and muscle, breaking bone though she was numb to the pain. "I killed you. Oh Kami, I killed you both."

_You haven't killed anyone, Lady Kagome! Please, wake up!_

_Wake up! Damn you, you stubborn girl. Fucking wake __**up**_**!**

She deserved to die, didn't she? Looking at the lifeless bodies of her friends, friends she had killed, Kagome's tears flowed faster. How could she have done this? How could she be selfish enough to trade their lives for a bit of sleep?

_Miko! Kagome, open your eyes. Do not let the visions fool you, you are asleep. You must wake up. _

Sesshoumaru? Her head turned around looking down the hall. She didn't see the taiyoukai, but she could clearly hear his voice. Where was he? Why was he calling for her?

_Say my name, Kagome. Call out for me._

Call out for him? Call out for whom? For Sesshoumaru? Would he be the one to kill her, to avenge the death of his brother?

_No one is dead, Kagome. Call out my name and you will awaken. _

Awaken? But she wasn't asleep; this place was too real to be a fallacy. The pain in her heart, the pain in her body, the feel of the blood on her hands and the claws in her feet – this was all too real to be a dream. Wasn't it?

_I am not asking you, Miko. I am ordering you. Do as you are told: Say. My. Name._

"Se - "

Her voice was cut off by a stinging slap to her cheek, her head snapping to the side. Sango stood over her, damning her for killing Miroku, for killing Inuyasha. The demon slayer was angry, furious, holding her katana pointed at Kagome.

_Ignore what surrounds you. Pay no heed to the visions, no matter whose form they take. Say my name!_

"Sesshou-"

Kagome's voice was cut off by another vicious slap, her lip bleeding, her head aching. Sango was gone, Kikyou in her place. How had they changed, what had happened?

_Do not give up, Miko. Say my name and you will be free._

"Sesshou - " Another slap followed by a hit with Kikyou's bow. "Sesshoumaru!"

Kagome's eyes flew open wide, screaming Sesshoumaru's name as she jerked awake only to find herself held securely in arms covered in red cloth - Inuyasha's arms. Kagome looked up, hoping to see the hanyou, praying for him to be alive. Sobbing brokenly, the girl tried to raise her arms only to find them trapped under Inuyasha's. His hold tightened when she spoke his name. Looking down into her tear clouded eyes, Inuyasha loosed his hold just enough for her to slip her arms out and wrap them around his neck.

"Inu-Inyasha," she sobbed when he buried his face in the side of her neck. "I didn't – I-I'm so sorry."

Gasping when he nipped her neck, reprimanding her apology with his fangs, he soothed her skin with long slow strokes of his tongue. Growling at her, the sound little more than a rumble to let her know that she was safe in his arms, he rocked her. Kagome clung to him, crying as she tried to burrow deeper into his hold.

"Hush," Inuyasha whispered in her ear. "I've got you, Kagome. You're safe."

"M-Miroku," her friend's name a broken whimper as it fell from her lips.

Lifting his head, Inuyasha looked behind Kagome to where the monk sat beside his brother. Curling the first to fingers of his right hand beneath her chin, Inuyasha tilted Kagome's face up to his.

"Look behind you, Kagome. He's right there."

Gasping and moving quickly, Kagome searched the room, her frantic eyes finding Miroku as he moved closer to her. Leaning away from Inuyasha and reaching out for her friend, Kagome couldn't stop the string of frantic apologies that sprang forth as she begged the monk to believe that she had never wanted to kill him. Violet eyes shifted quickly to Inuyasha and then back to the girl, before Miroku took Kagome into his arms.

She clung to him, sobbing into his robes and begging for him not to hate her. Miroku closed his eyes, the muscle in his jaw ticking as he clenched his teeth together so hard he thought they might break. Clutching his friend tightly to his chest, he rocked her, soothed her. Promising Kagome that he could never and would never hate her, assuring her that she hadn't harmed him, he rested his chin on her head. Looking between the inu brothers, Miroku's anger was mirrored in both sets of golden eyes. All three sets of eyes turned to the girl when she began begging them not to let her fall asleep as the darkness beckoned to her again.

"Kagome, you're exhausted. If any of my blessings or ofuda could save you from these demons, these nightmares, believe me I would use them. You need sleep – restful and preferably dreamless sleep."

The girl sniffled in Miroku's arms, shaking her head. "Ever time I close my eyes…I can't…please, _please_ don't let me fall asleep."

"Give her to me," Sesshoumaru's voice sounded from next to the monk, his voice too low for Kagome to hear.

Whimpering at the change in movement, Kagome found herself settled into Sesshoumaru's arms. Her sleep deprived brain was too sluggish to comprehend what the taiyoukai was doing. Her eyes followed the movements of his hand as he removed his Mokomoko-sama from his shoulder and wrapped her in the plush fur. Laying her back on the futon, he was surprised at the strength with which she grasped the sleeve of his kimono. Shushing her and smoothing her hair off her damp brow.

Sesshoumaru kept his voice low and quiet as he instructed Inuyasha to lay down on one side of Kagome as he sat beside her. Growling low, the soothing sound rumbling from his chest, the tiayoukai looked down upon the human girl whose hands were wrapped around his own. She shook her head in abject misery, knowing that Sesshoumaru was trying to bring her was measure of comfort he could as he soothed her to sleep. Inuyasha's growls sounded from beside her, the hanyou wrapping her securely in his arms as he too soothed her to sleep.

"Kami, she's terrified," Miroku sighed long moments after Kagome had returned to sleep.

"Wouldn't you be?" Sango asked as she stepped into the room, Rin held unconscious in her arms. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said as she brought the child to him. "Rin has been with the healers here since Inuyasha brought her to us, but no one knows what is wrong with her, what keeps her so ill."

Sesshoumaru took Rin's fevered body into his arms, his golden eyes fixed on the child. He had arrived back to the village only to find Miroku and Inuyasha desperately trying to reach Kagome while she lay in the violent throes of a nightmare. He was ashamed to admit even to himself that his worry for his brother's miko had blinded him to the worry of Rin. A low dangerous growl sounded from the taiyoukai as the scent he knew all too well assailed his senses. Sesshoumaru began searching the child's skin, her arms and legs before carefully undoing her kimono in search of a wound he knew he would find..

"What the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha growled at his brother.

"Rin has been poisoned," he bit out, carefully moving the child to lean against his unarmored chest as he searched her back, finding the silver line – the scar made by a single claw – under the curve of her left shoulder blade.

"Poisoned?" Miroku asked, watching as Sesshoumaru traced the pad of his finger over the barely visible scar. "By what?"

"'By _whom_?' Is the correct question, Monk."

"Who the fuck would poison her?" Inuyasha growled, from where he lay wrapped around Kagome. "Everyone knows she's your pup, don't they?"

"There are those, hanyou, who see her as a stain upon the lands and wish nothing more than to see her removed by any means necessary."

"You know who did this," Inuyasha stated, his gaze hard.

"Yes. I know _precisely who_ did this. Unfortunately, what I do not know is how to cure her of the poison. She is fighting it, but she won't last much longer."

"Does that mean…will Rin die?" Sango asked quietly, worry and grief coloring her voice.


	14. Chapter 14

~*~*~*~*Chapter 14*~*~*~*~

Kagome awoke slowly, breathing deeply as she floated closer to the waking world. The first thing she noticed was the feel of soft silken fur surrounding her, cushioning her in a cocoon of warmth. The second thing she noticed, as she blinked in the early morning glow sneaking in through the windows, was that she had not dreamt once the night before. Kagome's lips parted in a sense of wonder and she turned her face into the feel of bent fingers stroking down over her cheek. Mahogany eyes met gold and she smiled gently, reaching up to rub gently at the base of a white puppy ear.

"Hey," Kagome's voice was hoarse, whisper quiet, and her hand came to her throat as her brows furrowed at the sound.

"Drink this," Inuyasha said his voice just as soft while he lifted her up against his chest.

Kagome leaned heavily against his shoulder, her hand resting on his as he brought the cup to her lips. Turning her head at the foul smell of the medicinal tea, she looked up at his soft spoken command. Eyeing the warm liquid as though she thought it may take form and bite her; Kagome held her breath and allowed Inuyasha to tip the cup to her lips. One swallow and Kagome was pushing away from the hanyou, shaking her head and trying her best to choke down the urge to vomit.

"Oh Kami, that tastes worse than it smells," she moaned, trying to wave away the cup he brought back to her lips.

"Come on, Wench," Inuyasha encouraged, tipping the cup to her lips again and wincing at the sight of her sickened grimace when she forced down another swallow. "The healer said you need to drink all of it."

Kagome groaned and shook her head, pushing away the cup slowly. "The healer can drink that. I think it's poisoned."

"You're as bad as Rin," Sesshoumaru's voice sounded from the doorway and both hanyou and miko looked to the taiyoukai. "She argued about the healer's potion as well until I intervened." Moving to sit on Kagome's side, opposite his brother, Sesshoumaru leveled a look at his brother's miko.

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, her eyes widening and pulled back with a shake of her head. The cold as ice taiyoukai was looking at her the same way her mother did when ever Kagome argued about cough syrup. It was that 'I'm the parent, do as I say' look. Blinking twice, but unable to look away, Kagome shrank back against Inuyasha and let him tip the cup to her lips again.

"That's not fair," she croaked out. "When did you learn that look?"

"Suffice it to say, Rin is a rather rambunctious child. I had to learn this look early on after she began traveling with me."

"Stop looking at me like that," Kagome protested, much to both Sesshoumaru's as well as his brother's amusement.

"I will," he said, his voice authoritative, the tone making it clear that she was not to argue. "Once all the tea is gone."

Kagome groaned, turning her attention to Inuyasha and slapping his chest weakly when she felt him chuckle behind her. Unable to keep his lips from twitching as he tried not to smile, he fed her more of the tea. His encouragement that she only had a few more sips left fell on deaf ears when the she noticed that the last few swallows held the culmination of the herbs used to make the tea. Whimpering and looking up at Inuyasha, her eyes pleading with him not to have to drink the last bit, he tipped his head toward his brother and Kagome followed his gaze without thinking.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru's voice held within it the same tone as the look in his eyes.

Groaning pitifully and sinking lower against Inuyasha as she choked down the last two swallows, putting a hand to her stomach when she forced down the powdered herbs in the last sip of the liquid. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Inuyasha took a bottle of water from her yellow pack and unscrewed the lid. Offering her the bottle, he watched as she drank small sips before pushing it away, groaning as she curled herself into a ball and folded her arms over her stomach.

Emitting a low soft rumble, Inuyasha nudged his hand under her folded arms and gently massaged her stomach, doing what he could to ease the painful cramps. Looking up at the sound of his brother's voice, Inuyasha took the small pieces of dried fruit from the youkai's hand and pressed one small piece to Kagome's lips. Getting her to eat was harder than getting her to drink the tea had been.

"It hurts," she moaned, turning her face away from the proffered fruit.

"It hurts, miko, because you haven't eaten in so long. Eat now. Slowly. Let your body readjust to the food."

Kagome kept her eyes closed, nodding at Sesshoumaru's soft spoken words. Chewing slowly on the dried persimmon, she swallowed hard, her throat dry. Gratefully accepting the water from Inuyasha she drank a small amount and pushed his hand away, turning and tucking her face into his chest. She had slept peacefully last night for the first time in weeks, but was still so exhausted. She felt Inuyasha's arms tighten around her; the sensation of floating making her open her eyes to see that he was carrying her out of the room.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"To the bathing chambers," he answered without looking down at her. "Someone once told me that a hot bath makes her feel refreshed."

"Too tired," Kagome's words slurred as she turned her face into his shoulder and yawned. "Go sleep."

Inuyasha shook the arm wrapped around her shoulders, jostling her and watching until her eyes opened. Her brown orbs settled on his face with an unfocused groggy glare and he half wondered if she would try subduing him while he carried her. He hoped not, if she did, he would end up crushing her beneath his body and more than likely injuring her. Tipping his head down, he kissed her brow and told her to stay awake for a little while longer.

"Just don't 'sit' me, ok?" Inuyasha said as he set her on her feet inside the bathing chamber and undid the obi of the kimono she wore. "What?" he asked when he smelled her fear and saw her face pale to a ghostly palor.

"I-I won't…" Kagome's hands shook as she reached out for his kodotama rosary and began lifting it.

"Hey!" he fairly growled, tugging the bead and fang necklace out of her hands and placing it back down around his neck. "What the fuck? This is mine, bitch!"

"B-but-"

"No buts. Kagome," his voice became rough with worry and sadness and he pulled her tight against his chest, hugging her close. "You didn't hurt me. You didn't kill me. They were just dreams, Kagome. The kodotama is mine, you can't take it away."

Kagome sniffled against his haori, her shaking hand dashing over her face and scrubbing at tears that wouldn't stop falling. "But they hurt you. _I_ hurt you."

Inuyasha leaned back to see her face and cupped her cheeks in his hands. Smoothing the pads of his thumbs over her heated skin he wiped away her tears. Her eyes were red, damp and slightly swollen with her tears. Leaning close, he pressed his lips to hers, the soft flesh trembling and tinged with the salt of her sorrow. He kissed her slowly, gently, asking for nothing but this moment. Breaking the kiss he wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head beneath his chin and holding her close.

"You've never hurt me. Don't be afraid to say 'it'." He told her as he petted her hair and ran his claws through the thick locks. "I mean it, Kagome. You're going to say 'it' again."

"No!" Kagome shouted as much as her weakened voice would allow and shoved the hanyou away. "I won't! I won't say 'it' again."

"Say it, Kagome. Say the word," Inuyasha commanded, his youkai voice railing at him for bringing Kagome this emotional pain.

"No." She shook her head, tears cascading down her cheeks as she stepped back from him.

"Say it!" he growled and stepped toward her popping his knuckles one by one menacingly.

"No!" She stepped back away from the approaching hanyou, shaking her head miserably. She knew he would never hurt her, knew that he had no intention of using his claws as he threatened to and that it was little more than a scare tactic, but that didn't make him any less intimidating.

"Say it, bitch!" he growled and reached out mentally for his youkai, calling it to the fore. "Say it!"

He could feel his claws lengthen, could see the tint of his red eyes reflected in hers. Kagome stepped back only to be stopped by the stone wall behind her and shook her head frantically. How could he ask this of her? How could he think that she would willingly use that command after what had happened in her dreams? Why would he make her do this? His growl grew more menacing as he approached and even as he took a deep breath of the air he could tell that her fear was directed at herself and not at him.

"Say it," he snarled and reached out, snagging the end of her kimono sleeve in his claw and slicing the fabric.

"Sit," she whispered on a whimper and watched as the kodotama necklace glowed before he dropped to the stone floor.

Kagome fell to her knees beside him, folding herself over and sobbed brokenly into his back. She hated that he had pushed her to it, hating even more that she had said it. Her eyes were shut tight, the crystalline droplets squeezing out between her lashes as he rolled over beneath her and gathered her in his arms against his chest. She had spoken the command so softly and without any force at all behind it that he had simply fallen forward as though he had lost his balance. He hadn't even been tied to the ground, he could've risen immediately, but he hadn't. He needed her to see that speaking the command wouldn't kill him.

Folding his legs together as he sat up, he dragged Kagome into his lap and folded his body over hers as she cried in his arms. He whispered to her, shushed her gently and rocked her like a child. Her voice was clogged with her upset, shaky and uneven when she begged him, pleading over and over, that he never make her do that again. He would've promised her the moon in that moment, leapt into the heavens and pulled down the stars for her, but he couldn't promise her that. He couldn't let the memory of the dreams and her fear of the subduing spell rule her actions. He would give her anything else she would ever want, but he couldn't give her that.

::::

Golden eyes looked over the ancient parchment reading the words with growing disbelief and anger. Looking up at those sitting before him in the sparsely decorated office, Sesshoumaru slowly reached up and removed the wire rim glasses from his face. Dropping the spectacles onto his rosewood desk, he leveled a look at the singular human woman sitting in the padded chair in front of him.

"Where did the boy get this?" he asked, his emotionless tone demanding an answer.

"I don't know," Kina said softly. "Most likely he got it from my father. The shrine has been in our family for generations and my father takes care of the documents that have been handed down through the years."

"This – ritual," Sesshoumaru said the word with an air of disgust "is dangerous at best and suicidal at worst. I am quite familiar with many different rituals and methods that humans have used for magic and this," he held up the parchment, "is nothing but falsehood."

"So what Souta did…"

"Was for naught. How is your son?" the Inu no Taisho asked as he sat down in the padded, high backed black leather office chair.

"The doctor said that he's lost a lot of blood but should pull through just fine. I can't help but think that if we hadn't found him when we did…" her voice trailed off and she looked down at her hands twisting in her lap.

"Do not trouble yourself with things that did not happen, Higurashi-san. Take comfort in the knowledge that your son is receiving the treatment he needs and will recover." Turning his attention to Ginta, Sesshoumaru nodded only once and watched as the wolf youkai moved to the woman's side. "Take your mate home, wolf."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama," Ginta said as he helped Kina to her feet and wrapped his arm around her waist.

Kina's brow furrowed as she let Ginta lead her from the room. "Sesshoumaru," she spoke the name slowly. "Why do I know that name?"

:::::

Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, the girl asleep next to him in the warm soothing waters of the hot spring. She was laid back against a flat boulder jutting up from within the water at an angle that offered children or those of smaller stature an easier way to get out of the spring, for Kagome though, the stone offered a temporary bed. Golden eyes studied the miko's body, narrowing at the sight of the harsh prominent lines and angles of her hips and ribs. She was still so very thin.

He smelled Sesshoumaru moments before he heard the shoji door of the enclosed spring open and close. Inuyasha didn't bother to look up at his brother, but did turn at the sound of his voice. Nodding once and watching as the taiyoukai laid out a thick, long white towel taken from Kagome's bag on the floor of the stone floor of the hot spring. Gathering Kagome in his arms, Inuyasha carried the sleeping girl through the water and handed her up carefully to his brother before climbing out of the water.

"She slept without dreams," the hanyou spoke softly to his brother, accepting the second towel and drying off quickly before donning his fire rat robes.

"Her body will not be able to sustain her much longer as she is. The miko needs to eat."

Sesshoumaru watched his brother dress the girl and looked closely at the end of her kimono sleeve, the fabric cut cleanly. "Inuyasha, what happened to her kimono?"


	15. Comfort

*Chapter 15*

-=-=-=-Comforts-=-=-=-

****Lemon warning. There is no clean version of this chapter****

She shook her head again. Why didn't he understand her worries? They were his friends, too, and he was far more versed in things of a spiritual nature than she was. Sango looked out the open window into the night that seemed to be beckoning her closer. Miroku sat next to her, so close to her that all she had to do was lean a little and she could rest her head on his shoulder – if that was something she wanted to do, that was. Turning her brown eyes back to his violet gaze, she tried once more to make him understand.

"Miroku, if this dark sor-"

Her words stopped her brain unable to fully grasp what had just happened as her eyes fell closed and her hands gripped his shoulders. He had only meant to quell her worry, to silence her fearful babbling, but the moment his lips touched hers all time seemed to stop. Moving his mouth over hers, hearing her whimper, feeling her tug him closer and push him away not knowing what she wanted was his undoing. His right hand, encased in cloth and sacred beads, rose to her face. His long fingers combed into her hair behind her ear, tilting down and massaging the scalp at the base of her neck as he pulled her closer.

Sango's hands moved from his shoulders down his chest to fist in the robes he wore. She wanted him closer, needed him desperately. Her lips opened against his as she gasped, taking in a shuddering breath only to whimper when the monk took full advantage, slipping his tongue into her mouth to explore the confines of her hot cavern. A choked guttural moan sounded from low in her throat when he dragged her into his lap, her kimono kept her from straddling his hips as she wanted to, her legs draped over the side of his leg instead.

Miroku tugged her closer, crushing her against his chest as he tipped his head, deepening the kiss further. His right hand, still cupping the back of her head held her as he leaned over her and began to lay her back. She was so responsive, so hungry for his kiss and he knew that it would be his undoing. He felt her hands release the cloth of his robes only to slide up his chest and comb into his hair, dislodging the leather band that kept his hair tied back. His hair fell loose around his face as he laid her back against the futon they'd been sitting on. She called out his name, clawed at his robes, nearly sobbed when he pulled away just enough to look down into her passion fevered face.

He wasn't stopping. He couldn't be stopping. Staring up into his eyes, almost black with the intensity of the feelings she could see brewing in their depths, she pulled him back down to her offering up her mouth to him in a kiss that seared her soul. She felt his hands worrying the knot of her obi and she wished she had her dagger still tucked inside it only so that she could cut the cloth away. She felt his chest vibrate, heard the deep sensual chuckle at her show of impatience when she ripped the sash of cloth away only seconds after he had tugged the knot loose.

He parted the folds of her kimono, his mouth moving away from hers only to trail scorching open mouthed kisses down her cheek and over her jaw, nipping at her chin. She tossed her head back, cried out and thrust herself at him when his hand slid up her side to cup her breast through the binder she wore around them. His mouth closed over the pulse of her throat and Sango whimpered at the tug on her skin, the brush of his teeth against her and the feel of his tongue smoothing against her flesh. Her hands moved, tugged at his clothing again and before she could rend the cloth under the strength of her impatient need, he sat back from her, resting his bottom on his heels as he swiftly undid the knots of his clothing and tossed cloth aside, baring himself – save his loin cloth – to her eyes.

"Need…you," Sango panted her voice thick and drowsy with lust.

Sitting between her legs as he was, Miroku couldn't help but stare down at her. Her skin, soft and supple over hardened muscles begged for his touch and he reached out. Running the tips of his fingers over the hollows of her stomach, the soft skin pale and silken to the touch rippling under his exploration as goose bumps erupted on her flesh. Her knees fell to the sides, her legs opening wider as she invited him closer and he was powerless to resist her wordless call. Moving slowly, kneeling over her, he flattened his palm against her stomach, feeling the heat of her skin through the cloth and beads covering his hand. Bending close enough that she could feel his warm breath puff against her skin, his mouth closed over the skin of her flat stomach and she cried out. The touch of his tongue and teeth, the feel of his lips moving up, over her abdomen, scraping against her ribs so focused on the trail of fire he was creating with his kisses, she didn't notice when his hands slipped beneath the sides of her breast binder and slid it up and off of her.

Her hands fisted painfully in his hair, pulling him closer and holding him to her. He didn't think about it as he grasped her hands in his and held them together at the wrists in one hand, pinning her arms above his head as he continued his exploration. Wetness pooled between legs, a feeling of almost pain tightening her stomach, twisting deep inside of her and even as she wondered if she were dying, she wanted more. Her head arched back, baring her throat and she cried out when his teeth scraped along the underside of her full breast, her nipple pebbling painfully and she sobbed when his hot mouth closed over her.

_Honey and wildflowers_, he thought as he swirled his tongue around the taught flesh of her nipple. Sucking her flesh between his teeth and rolling her nipple between his teeth and tongue, he listened to her half sobs, her whimpers and moans as she sang her pleasure for him. His hand holding her wrists opened, his blunt nails scraping against the skin of her arm as he dragged his hand down slowly to cup her unattended breast. His fingers twisted and tweaked her nipple as she writhed beneath him. It was his turn to be left breathless when she wrapped her leg around his waist to draw him closer and pressed her heat against him, her pink satin panties – a gift from Kagome – and his loin cloth the only barriers left between their bodies.

Her dampness, the blazing heat of her center pressed against his rock hard length and he twitched against the feel of her, his head thrown back as he cried out her name. She had the power to shatter him, to break him and heal him all at once. He clenched his jaw as he fought against the incessant need to rip the cloth away and pound into her with mad abandon. A powerful shiver ran through him, making him shudder above her as he reclaimed his control. He grinned wickedly at her as he pulled away from her, slid down her body, only to lay his hands against the inside of her hips and hold her secret folds open for his perusal.

The sight of him kneeling with his face between her legs was too much and she closed her eyes, jerking when he blew his breath against her center. Her sharp whimper was followed closely by her deep moan when his tongue pressed against her and dragged slowly up her slick folds, damp with her juices and he sucked greedily at the nub of flesh that beckoned him. Her hips lifted off of the futon, her head tossing from side to side as he tortured her with his ministrations, bringing her to the edge, stopping before she could find her release only to start her on the climb again seconds later. His tongue plunged into her depths and Sango arched her back, her hips thrusting against his mouth, her head falling back as she screamed his name.

Neither one heard the shoji door open, nor did they see the miko standing just inside the doorway, her eyes impossibly wide as she stared at them. Having come to investigate the noises she heard on her way back from the bath, she was frozen in place watching Miroku pleasuring Sango, his face buried between her thighs. Arms wrapped around her from behind, carrying her away from the door as another person shut the door quietly.

Miroku's hands caught Sango's, his fingers twining with hers as he moved back up her body and kissed her deeply, the taijiya tasting herself on his lips. She felt his hardness press into her slowly, teasing her with a promise of pleasure as sheathed himself inside of her burning heat. Halfway in he pulled back slightly before thrusting in, burying himself to the hilt inside her and kissing her as he held still inside of her. He caught her hip in his hand, tugging her leg up as he drove deeper into her and felt her nails scrape against his back and shoulders as she cried out and pulled him closer.

His hands moved to her breasts, massaging the pillowing flesh and tugging at her nipples as he thrust into her, creating a rhythm that was languid and deep. She moved, her legs crossing at the ankles behind his back as she met his thrusts, matched his rhythm and begged for more. Her hands moved lower, her nails scraping against the skin of his buttocks almost painfully and he gasped, crying out her name before his careful rhythm broke and he thrust into her, bearing her down against the futon time and again with the power and speed of his ministrations. He felt her walls flutter and clench around him, her voice crying his name over and over again as he felt himself swell and explode within her, her name falling harshly from his lips.

His mouth found the pulse in her neck once more and he nipped her flesh, soothed her skin with his tongue as he came inside her and stroked his hand over her thigh soothingly. Rolling to the side and dragging her with him, he lay on his back, Sango's panting, boneless body lying on top of his. Miroku was still buried inside of her, petting her hair as she lay on his chest. He reached to the side, catching hold of his robes and dragging them over their bodies as Sango fell asleep in his arms.

:::::

"Wow," Kagome murmured her eyes wide as Inuyasha sat with her on the futon and handed her a bowl of rice.

"Keh! It's about fuckin' time that monk claimed her," the hanyou snorted.

Sesshoumaru sat next to them with Rin sleeping in his lap. He had been carrying her against his shoulder, her face tucked into the curve of his neck when he and his brother hand come across the miko frozen in place as she stood just outside of Sango and Miroku's room. His brother had to lift the girl in his arms to move her away while he shut the door leaving the mating couple in private. He was thankful the child had been asleep, her curiosity knowing no bounds, and he had no wish to answer the questions she would have had she seen the monk and taijiya mating.

"Well, I guess it explains why Kirara came to join Shippou, Rin and I in the bath," Kagome giggled and ate her rice slowly.

It had been five days since her last nightmare, five beautiful, glorious days. She was able to eat without her stomach twisting in knots or having to endure the pain of throwing up her food. She was sleeping more, sleeping peacefully, tucked in between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha as she slept, Rin and Shippou in the middle with her. She was still very thin, but was gaining a bit of her lost weight back. She looked down at the tray in front of her. What was Inuyasha hiding under the overturned bowl?

"Keep your hands away, wench," he grumbled when she reached out to investigate. "You finish what you've got there and you can have what's under that."

"But I don't even know what it is!" she protested, letting him pull her back against his chest as she ate.

"Feh. Does it matter? Sweets are sweets, isn't that what you always say?"

Sesshoumaru was hard pressed not to show his amusement, his lips twitching when he saw the excitement on Kagome's face at the mention of sweets. His brother's miko was so much like his Rin. His eyes dropped to the sleeping child and he felt the twinge of loneliness twist his heart again. He would never part with Rin, the human waif that had become his daughter, but as he had joined with his brother to protect Kagome he found himself longing for a mate of his own. Rin stirred in his arms and he looked down at her, her face buried against his stomach.

The child moved, her head turning and her eyes – still blurred with sleep – searched for the one person who had always meant safety to her. Sesshoumaru's snowy hand cupped her cheek, his long fingers combing into her hair as he chaffed the skin over her high cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. Her small hand wrapped around his wrist and he frowned at the tears that filled her eyes. Curling his long arm around her, cradling her as though she were little more than an infant, he brought her high against his chest and tucked her face into the side of his smooth neck as he whispered to her.

"What is wrong, Rin? What makes you sad?" Sesshoumaru asked his voice soothing.

She trembled in his hold and wrapped her arms around his neck, trying not to cry as she wanted to. Rin wanted to tell Sesshoumaru what had happened, what was bothering her, but couldn't. She had learned the hard way to do as she was told and not question any instruction that was given to her. If only her family hadn't had to die for her to learn that lesson…

Suki-sama was inuyoukai just like Sesshoumaru-sama and was a poison bearing youkai as well. When Hana-san, her best friend and favorite caregiver at Sesshoumaru's castle, had been nearly killed protecting her Suki-sama had taken no time at all in telling Rin that it had been her fault. Suki had never once hidden her disdain for the human child, and the few times that Rin had been left with Suki for instruction, the girl had been told over and over again how much her presence dishonored the great taiyoukai and brought shame upon the Western Lands.

Rin closed her eyes, pressing her face tightly against Sesshoumaru's neck as the first few tears slipped out between her lashes to dampen his skin. Squeezing her eyes closed as the memories assailed her, she felt Sesshoumaru's arms tighten around her and she clutched the silk of his haori tighter in her small hand.

_Rin awoke slowly, stretching her arms above her head. She had snuck into Sesshoumaru's chambers after waking twice from nightmares only to find that he was absent from the room. Curling deep in the blankets that covered his futon, she had hugged his pillow and waited for his return only to wake up alone. She didn't know where he was, but wasn't concerned too much yet. She knew that he didn't always sleep, sometimes going for two or three days without sleeping when they came home to the castle. Carefully straightening the blankets and setting the pillow back into its place, she giggled and skipped from the room._

_She headed down the hall intending to go into Sesshoumaru's study, figuring that she would find him bent over his desk studying scrolls and papers while talking with Kanaye-sama as he usually was. Rin clapped her hands and smiled brightly when she saw Kanaye walking down the hall toward her. Calling his name, she ran up to him and giggled when the kitsune reached down and ruffled her hair. _

"_Good morning, Kanaye-sama!" she cheered and laughed when he swung her up to sit on his hip as he walked down the hall with her. _

"_Hello, Little One," he said and tweaked the tip of her nose with a smile. "Sesshoumaru-sama had to leave the castle late last night and Hana is sleeping today."_

"_Is Hana-sama all right?" Rin asked with a frown._

"_She just needs sleep is all. You, however, have been summoned to the bathing chamber." Leaning down, he set Rin on her feet laughing at her pout. "Now, Rin, you have always liked your baths, at least that's what Hana has told me."_

"_Rin likes her baths with Hana, because Hana is gentle. And we play."_

_Kanaye knelt before her, taking her hands into his and looking at her seriously. "Rin, is someone not gentle with you? Does someone hurt you?"_

_Her eyes widened and Rin shook her head while trying not to make it obvious that she was looking around them. "Rin is fine," she said, hating that her voice shook slightly._

_He wasn't satisfied with her answer and she knew it, but her friend and Sesshoumaru's most trusted general sighed and brought her close for a tight hug. "You will tell me if anyone hurts you," he said, his words clearly an order and not a request. Leaning away, he cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. "It is not just Sesshoumaru-sama that you are precious to, Rin. Come to me at once if you feel unsafe and Sesshoumaru is not here."_

_Rin nodded before turning around and walking through the doors of the bathing chamber. Closing the door and turning around to face the spring, Rin stopped cold. She felt frozen in place, her eyes wide and legs leaden as she stared at Suki, the female poison-bearing inuyoukai standing impatiently beside the spring. Her voice was cold, harsh and impatient as she called to Rin, demanding the child come to her and disrobe for her bath. When Rin didn't move, she snapped her poison whip at the child's bare feet, Rin yipping in surprise and moving quickly lest she draw more of Suki's ire. _

_Rin still wasn't quick enough for the inuyoukai's liking Suki demanded Rin's absolute silence as she dragged her to the edge of the spring, removing the child's clothes almost violently. Scratching her claws purposefully against the child's skin, delighting in the sight of the raised red lines across the girl's back, Suki growled low, dangerously and let her poison enter the claw of her index finger as she cut the child's skin below her left shoulder. Watching as her poison mixed with the blood pouring from the wound, Suki delighted in Rin's whimper of pain and fear, telling her that everything to follow was Rin's own doing for speaking out against her. _

_Rin gasped, cried out of help when she was forced down under the water, struggling and fighting against the hand that grasped the top of her head holding her under the water. She heard the squeaking sound of Jakken's voice, felt the grip on her head loosen its hold as she was pulled from the water seconds before darkness engulfed her._

Pulled from her memories by the sound of Sesshoumaru's voice, Rin opened her eyes to find herself held away from his body just enough to allow their eyes to meet. He had been speaking to her, but she hadn't heard his words and she felt the dampness on her cheeks.

"Tell me, Rin. Tell this Sesshoumaru what happened. Who hurt you?" he demanded of her, hating the abject fear in her eyes. His eyes narrowed as he studied her, the golden depths showing no emotion. "The only reason you would not answer my question is if you were told not to. No one is above this Sesshoumaru. You will tell me who has brought harm upon you. Who brought harm upon Hana."

He watched as Rin's eyes widened, her tears increasing though her sobs held no sound. Slowly, with a trembling voice filled with self recrimination and fear, she told him what had happened, what she could remember of it – that was. A low, furious snarl sounded behind her when she told Sesshoumaru of the bath and how Suki had tried to drown her. The sound startled her and she turned, coming face to face with Inuyasha, the hanyou's ears folded back against his head.

"Your pup will have my protection," Inuyasha promised his brother, his eyes fierce and his growl changed to one that was soothing and protective when he found the child staring at him. "You're safe with us, pup," he promised her, his voice gruff, his eyes fierce and the touch of his hand smoothing over her hair infinitely gentle.

Nodding tiredly, Rin looked at Sesshoumaru for just a moment, waiting until he nodded his approval before turning back to Inuyasha and reaching out to him. Looking to his brother before plucking the human child out of the taiyoukai's arms and holding her in his own, Inuyasha held her in his lap. Kagome leaned against his shoulder and tucked the girl's hair behind her ear, offering her a piece of the chocolate bar that Inuyasha had somehow miraculously hidden away from Shippou's sharp nose, she smiled at Rin.

"You know, Rin," Kagome's voice was soft when she spoke. "When these two promise you their protection," she motioned with her eyes to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, "there's no one in the world that can make them break that promise. No matter how scary someone may seem, they won't let anyone or anything stand in their way of protecting you."

Rin nodded silently, her eyes drooping and looked up when Inuyasha shifted her, moving her into a cradling hold and tucking her small head into the crook of his elbow. Kagome smiled softly, looking to Inuyasha and then Sesshoumaru when she heard the low soothing growls issuing from them both. Watching as Rin fell into a deep easy slumber, Kagome stood and moved to sit in front of Sesshoumaru. His golden eyes watched her, waiting as she gathered her thoughts before speaking.

"I wanted to thank you," Kagome said, her cheeks pinking as she alternately looked into his eyes and stared at her hands. "It's been nearly a month now that you've been here with us and I know that these…dreams are not easy on anyone to endure."

"Miko," his voice was steady, brooking no argument and demanding her attention. When her eyes met his, he spoke further. "Over a year ago, I promised you my protection and I stand by that. Do not fool yourself into thinking that these dreams are over. You are under attack by a dark sorcerer and these dreams are just the beginning. You are not a burden on anyone and I will not tolerate you thinking otherwise."

Kagome's eyes watered at his fiercely spoken words, hearing the kind comfort that he – like Inuyasha – his as deeply as he could. Moving before she thought about her actions, Kagome leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, thanking Sesshoumaru again for his continued protection. He was slow to respond and just when she was about to pull back he wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a single moment.

"You will always have the protection of this Sesshoumaru," he promised her, his voice a whisper.

:::::

He slipped quietly into the hospital through the emergency entrance that the doctor's used when going outside for their breaks. It was dark enough and quiet enough that no one saw him sneak in, no one paid any attention as he walked down the halls. The nurse at the station said nothing, didn't even look up when he read through the guest check in book and found the room he was searching for. He had searched painstakingly for the substance he had tucked away in his coat pocket.

Moving down the darkened hallway, the lights lowered for sleeping hours for the patients, he found the room – 521 – and slipped inside. There was no sound to his steps, nothing to alert the woman sleeping in the chair to his presence and he sneered at her foolishness. Did she really think that she would be able to protect anyone? She was human, not even holding the purifying powers that her daughter held. She remained sleeping as he moved to the boy's side and lifted his hand.

Parting his pinky and ring finger, Shiro pulled the pencil-thin syringe from his pocket; he pulled the plastic needle cover off and picked up the boy's hand. The child didn't even stir when he stuck the needle between Souta's fingers and pushed down the plunger slowly. The child was weak enough from his own foolishness that the rattlesnake youkai poison he had injected would take no time at all to take effect. The human's would certainly have anti venom for a standard rattlesnake – the animal, but there was nothing that would cure a youkai poison in time. The fool humans wouldn't even know what it was.

Capping the needle and putting the syringe back into his coat pocket, Shiro disappeared from the room as though he were nothing more than a shadow on the wall. He needed to gather more strength before attacking Kagome again; her power was as infuriating as it was intoxicating. He wanted to dominate her completely, to break her and absorb her power into himself. Only then could he be free, only then would he have the true power he desired.

The gleam in his eyes was wicked, malignant when he heard the alarms sounding and people rushing down the hall. The sound of Kina's tears, her cries for son and her mate falling on deaf ears as voices of doctors and nurses chased her out of the room. He knew better than to stay behind, knew better than to let himself get caught. The doors of the hospital closed behind him as he disappeared into the night.


End file.
